


Second Life

by roncaly



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Brotherhood, Eventual Romance, Fantasy, K-pop References, M/M, Magic, Mentioned Other K-pop Artist(s), Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:34:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 50,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23586211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roncaly/pseuds/roncaly
Summary: Yoon Jeonghan always has a shitty life. He is only focused on living on. One day after his best friend Joshua died, he felt like his whole world collapsed. After that, he tried to help a little girl and ending up dying himself. When his life flashing in front of his eyes, he prays. He prays for the second chance. He wants to live a life where he can choose, where he have enough power, where he can be anything he wants, and if it's possible, he wants to fall in love too. And then he opens his eyes in the body of a baby, in a weird world where the King and the Royals are oppressing the citizens. Well, he did pray for a life where he can choose... but doesn't mean he want to be part of Royals who oppressed people...Jeonghan needed to choose, what kind of life he wanted from now on, which side of the coin he needed to take. Meanwhile he needed to keep Joshua safe and keep his eyes on the Princes of the Palace.
Relationships: Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Yoon Jeonghan, Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Lee Seokmin | DK, Wen Jun Hui | Jun/Xu Ming Hao | The8
Comments: 15
Kudos: 50





	1. Prolog

Yoon Jeonghan never had a good live, as long as he remembered. He never really care about it before, he just tried to live as long as he could with whatever that he had. His mother never really care about him, she often called him a failure because how wrong she was, thinking that having a rich man’s kid could lead her into nice and cozy live, ending up with her being thrown away after given a few cents and even got death threats if she dared to ask for more money. She repeated daily how she hoped she killed him when he was younger. Jeonghan never want to take care of his mother, but he did anyway. No, it wasn’t because of pity, it’s because how his dear friend Hong Joshua asked him to live. Kindly, to everyone, even the one who cursed and hurt him.

Hong Joshua was the kindest person Jeonghan see alive. Hong Joshua was his dearest friend, at the same age with him, but much skinnier and not healthy, yet so kind and radiated warmness around him. While Jeonghan living with his mother in a narrow apartment that had gas and water leak every second, Joshua lived in a nearby orphanage that ran by a church. Jeonghan spent his days playing in the orphanage since the sisters there knew how Jeonghan’s family situation was. When her mother was healthier, she beaten Jeonghan everyday so sometimes Jeonghan would ran to the orphanage and kept hidden by the nuns and priests there. Since the church prepared food for the poor that living in that area, Jeonghan’s mother couldn’t touch him whenever he ran to the church, but when he came back, it’s a hell for him.

Jeonghan was thirteen years old when his mother disabled to walk. Jeonghan never once felt freer in his entire life, thinking that how great it was to have his mother stayed in one place for the whole day. Jeonghan only stayed home to give his mother food or clean her, but most of his time he spent in the orphanage, learnt to write and read with the sisters, helped growing vegetables and fruits with the sisters and fathers, sometimes he went to the paddy field with some of the elderly people. Jeonghan always had attractive face even though he covered in dirt and his gazed mostly looked blank and expressionless, so sometimes people who didn’t know him tried to trick him, thinking that the poor boy would be baited by some money and food, yet Yoon Jeonghan was raised in hard environment, he knew his game. Mostly people got their money robbed from a ‘fair bet’ with Jeonghan, so the name of wild beauty Jeonghan spread through the small village.

His live was never been good, but it wasn’t so bad, at least for him. Until he lost his best friend, Hong Joshua who was die because of heart attack when they were sixteen. Jeonghan never felt so low in his entire life, he never felt so bad and wanted to die. The next day, Jeonghan was trying to calm himself down and walked around the village. He was about to go home when he saw a rare red Ferrari was drove fast on a downhill. A little girl was playing with her ball and didn’t really pay attention to her surroundings. The Ferrari looked unstable and started to drive away from the road and drove toward the little girl in fast speed. Jeonghan helped the girl without second thought, pushed her away with his hands and faced the car with his own body, which threw him two feet away. Jeonghan could feel his insides crushed and his breath started to collapse.

Have your heard of Kaleidoscope?

They said when you’re about to die, your whole life will spread in front of your eyes in a split second, like a kaleidoscope. That happened to Jeonghan. He remembered Joshua most of the time, thinking that how great life would be if he could be with him longer. He suddenly remembered a lot of weird things. Like a novel that was given by a Sister to him. He was too lazy to read all of it, but he did read it even it was just skimming. The main character was miserable his whole life, just like him, but he was a prince. At the end of the story, the main character also dead from helping his brother to attain the King title. It was a tragedy novel and Jeonghan felt weird similarities between him and the main character. If it was him, will it ends up in misery as well? They said an honoured death was a big deal, but what’s so good in being remembered, but ignored when you’re alive? Jeonghan remembered the thing that all catholic people always tell him. If you ask, God will always hear your prayer. That moment, Jeonghan closed his eyes and prayed with his last breath.

I don’t know whether You’re there or not, I don’t know whether it’s an empty hope or not, but I want to believe in what people around me believe, the last time. If I can ask, I want to have another chance. To live in a life where I can fight. Where I can decide things for myself. Where Joshua and I can be brothers. And if it’s possible,

I want to try falling in love…

*

Yoon Jeonghan opened his eyes.

“The baby is alive! He is alive!” a woman screamed in happiness. Jeonghan’s ears only could receipt weird sounds that weren’t really clear. His eyes couldn’t open clearly and even though they are, he only saw blurs. He felt weird for a second, like his body was a lot smaller… and weaker than what he expected it to be.

“But the mother…”

A dead silence filled the air. Jeonghan felt the weird silence and somehow his head made a decision to just cry. He could feel a lot of hands were hugging him and his skin was exposed to a lot of water drops that he assumed were tears from… a couple of women those were hugging him. Jeonghan thought hard.

Yep, it’s a dream.

There’s no fucking way he reverted back to a baby.


	2. Royals

“All of the royal blood shall be in the Palace!”

The loud shout echoed in the Royal Hall. Sounds of multiple bells ringing as the person who shouted moved accompanied the silence after. The massive wooden table in the middle of the hall that covered with gold tableware was shaken because of the sound, making the tableware echoed also. Eight young boys covered with royal clothes were surprised, but they tried to maintain their cool. They were all sitting on their gold chair straight, like how their etiquette classes taught them to. The youngest, though, tried his best to hold his laughter in. One of his brothers tried to silence him and kicked his foot with his own foot, making the younger one bit his lip in pain.

The one who sat on the throne didn’t look happy. The frown on his face made him looked a lot older than he actually was. He looked at the person who was giving prophecy a stern look. “All of the royal bloods are in the palace.”

The diviner who was busy praying whatnot to the ceiling looked at the king from his shoulder. “Are you sure?” he squinted his eyes and then closed it. He started to chant some of weird things again and shout at the end.

“The numbers are wrong!” he shouted. “It should be ten! Ten princes in the Palace!”

The diviner walked with stumbled steps to the throne. “Try to against God’s will and thou shall not be forgiven.”

After that, the old woman collapsed in one step. The bells that she wore made a loud ringing sound because it fell on the ground with the old body beside it. Two young men in gold armour that could be seen as guards immediately took the old woman away like they used to it.

The one who sat on the throne looked stern, he hissed and sighed. “What a hassle.”

“We should find the other princes as fast as possible, Your Highness,” a man with a different attire from the royal family knelt in front of the throne. He used a navy cloak with silver sash on his left side and black waistband on his waist. He used a simple navy cap that covered almost all of his head with three gold stars pins on it. From his attire, one can see that this person had a high position in the kingdom.

“Do it quick then,” the king looked bored as he said that. It looked like he wanted to go away as soon as possible from that place.

“It’s been known for ages that the one that made Royal Bloods and normal people different is the Royal Bloods have Royal Blessing or natural born magic with them, which only could be felt by the other Royals as well, your highness. I’m deeply sorry but this humble can’t do his job alone this time,” the man bowed deep. The King tapped his nails to his armrest. The sound echoed in the hall.

“Take the eldest with you, he needs the experience. I announce that the kingdom number one priority is to find the Princes, the search would be led by the first prince and prime minister Kim. Now go,” he said lightly and waved his hand, asking people to go away. “Now bring me the Flowers.”

The First Prince looked at the throne with his father on it. He glared at him but he bowed and walked away first. The other princes followed him and the prime minister followed at the end. The guards walked passed them, bringing the ‘Flowers’ into the hall.

“First Prince Seungcheol-nim, when should we start the search?” Prime Minister Kim asked in formal attitude. Seungcheol looked at the window and saw a bird flied across the sky outside.

“Let’s do it as soon as possible. If other people should be tasting how it’s like to be prisoned here, I’m more than happy to welcome them.”

“Hyung-nim, you want me to help?” another prince approached them with smile from side to side. He looked completely different from the other princes. The other princes looked Asian yet this one prince looked like he was sent from another country. Seungcheol knew this boy too much that he knew his intention was to go outside, not to help.

“I don’t need that. Let’s go, Kim Yeonsoo-ssi,” Seungcheol walked away from his younger brother. The brother looked disappointed as he puffed his cheek.

“Whatever,” he walked away.

“He rejected you right, Vernon-hyungnim?” another younger prince who was hiding behind a giant pillar came out. Vernon waved his hand.

“He did, he did. Whatever, Seungcheol-hyungnim is that kind of person after all,” he walked ahead of his brother. “Chan, what lesson are you attending now?”

“Uh… it should be economic,” Chan tried to remember. Vernon sighed. Another boring assignment. If Chan got art class Vernon planned to crash into his class instead, but well, everything ruined now. “Well, let’s just go to eat. I hope Seungcheol-hyungnim come back fast so he can bring back some interesting people from outside…”

*

Yoon Jeonghan had a same name with what he had in his past life, the same face, same body proportion. The only different thing was his hair colour was supposed to be black, but in this life, his hair was cream blonde. His feature was as beautiful as he was before, with his hair colour he was even more eye-catching. Jeonghan had his memory from his past life, that was why he was so smart since young age. He tried his hardest to not defy any physics law and followed how children should grow, but still his smartness showed. He learnt things so fast and adapted to his new world, his new life. It felt like he went back to the 1800s but with London’s government system. It felt so weird since it was definitely a kingdom-based world, yet all the people are Korean. How weird, at least for Jeonghan. It seemed like his normal was different here. But Jeonghan didn’t really care about that, what he cared about is how Joshua was doing; and thank God, he was there too.

“Jeonghan-ah! Give this to the kids,” a baker smiled as he gave a bag full with breads to thirteen years old Jeonghan. Jeonghan smiled wide.

“Thanks, Baker-ssi!” he took the bag and waved his hand wide. Jeonghan ran through the crowded market smoothly. It seemed like years of running made him one of the fastest runner in the city. Jeonghan learnt to always prepare for the worst. He learnt a lot of things that he thought would be beneficial for his new life.

“Jeonghan-ah! Bring some apple, here!” a woman in a food vendor asked Jeonghan to come. Jeonghan stopped running and visited her quickly. Jeonghan learnt to always have good relation with people, and somehow people in the city liked him so much, so it was an automatic win for him.

“How’s the kids doing?” she asked.

“They’re fine. Joshua doesn’t feel good but the sister said it was fine,” Jeonghan smiled. The woman smiled. “Great then. Give these to Shua-ya, it’s good for your lungs.”

“Thanks!” Jeonghan smiled wide and ran outside.

His life wasn’t that different from his previous life, but it was much better. His mother died after gave birth to her and people said that his mother was really loved by the people in the town so they pampered Jeonghan a lot. Jeonghan lived in the orphanage since birth and Joshua came into the orphanage when he was three. It was the same Joshua, the same name, the same face, same kindness, same attitude, same everything. Jeonghan was also three at the time, pretending to learn speak and such, but he couldn’t stop himself to hug little Joshua when he saw the boy. Jeonghan finally understood that it was the second chance that he got. To live another life where he could choose his own way! Joshua wasn’t as healthy as he hoped he could be, but his condition was much better than the last time.

In the past life, Joshua had heart problem that never had been known exactly what, but he definitely had a weak heart. This time, it seemed like his heart was fine, but his lungs were not that healthy. Jeonghan regretted didn’t read a lot of other medical book in his past life, since medical books were really rare here. Yet, since this world had magic, there were some expensive choice that definitely will go well. Jeonghan was really excited to get money this life time, he would definitely success in helping Joshua, living his second life happily this time. He also wanted to make the kids and sisters in the church lived well too. Even though they were different people, Jeonghan loved them, for living with him the past 13 years of his life. They took care of him and Joshua really well, like a real family.

Jeonghan arrived at the church, the children were playing outside. Jeonghan could see a familiar skinny sight was trying to catch a young girl with a smile on his face. Jeonghan sighed. He should be resting, but that person is just as hard headed as he was before. Jeonghan couldn’t ask more than that.

“Ooooy! I’m back!” Jeonghan waved his hand. A sister who saw him smiled and waved back, the children followed her. Jeonghan ran to them and gave the food to the sister.

“Sister Dambi, I got these from the baker, fruit aunty and beef uncle,” Jeonghan grinned.

“We should thank them later,” Dambi smiled at one of her foster children. Jeonghan ran to Joshua as soon as he gave the food to Dambi. His blonde hair waved because of his motion of running.

“You suppose to rest!” he nagged as soon as he saw his brother. Joshua chuckled.

“I’m fine! Don’t you see I’m fine?” Joshua tried to show his muscle. Jeonghan rolled his eyes.

“Sure, tiger. Let see if you’re fine now!” Jeonghan tried to tickle Joshua and a couple of kids followed them. Joshua laughed as he ran from the children. It wasn’t that long before he started to cough uncontrollably. Jeonghan stopped tickling him as he heard the serious cough and caught his brother’s wrist.

“You okay? Want some warm water?” Jeonghan looked worried. Joshua shook his head.

“I’m fine, really. It’s because of the wind,” he said with a smiled but his breath was a little bit heavier. Jeonghan sighed.

“Hey, I’m tired from doing chores. Let’s go inside,” he tried to make Joshua come inside with him. Thankfully Joshua and the children followed Jeonghan inside. Dambi smiled looking at the children. She remembered how small Jeonghan and Joshua were, and now the two of them were the biggest children that took care of younger ones. How fast time flies. Dambi was about to finish the hanging the laundry when she saw a glimpse of light. Dambi frowned. Fireflies? Dambi looked at the sky. The sky was already turned orange so she thought that the fireflies came out because it was already evening. Dambi was about to come in when she suddenly realized that the shimmering lights were getting thicker and thicker. Dambi opened her right palm and saw the light bumped into her palm, disappeared in a split second after it contacted with Dambi’s skin. Dambi’s eyes widened.

“It’s magic,” she whispered to herself. She took the groceries that Jeonghan brought with him before and ran inside the church as quick as she could. Another sister who was busy making dinner was surprised at how Dambi rushed inside.

“Wow, calm down. What’s wrong, Sister Dambi?” she asked but got ignored. Dambi almost threw the groceries on the nearest table and then rushed to lock the door. She looked at her friend Sister Nana and rushed to her.

“Where’s Father? There’s Royal Blessing’s Rain outside. Someone from the Royal Family is doing a round,” she said in one breath. Nana who was confused got stern in a second.

“Father is in the church hall, I’ll tell him. You go to the children,” Nana divided the job quick. Dambi nodded and ran to the playroom, where the children usually spent their time.

Nana ran to the other side of the building, the church hall. She saw a man was praying on one of the bench there. He looked old and serious, but as soon as he saw Nana, he smiled warmly. “What’s wrong?”

Nana took a deep breath. “There’s Royal Blessing’s Rain outside, Father. We should prepare for Royal Family visit.”

The Father nodded calmly. “Where are the kids?”

“Sister Dambi is with them.”

He nodded to her and stood up. “We try our best to protect everything we can. Let’s pray for the best.”

Jeonghan was surprised when Sister Dambi rushed inside the playroom. She took a deep breath and asked for Jeonghan and Joshua. Both Jeonghan and Joshua looked at each other before ran towards their care taker. Dambi was the person that got mad at them whenever they did something bad, but she was not the type to be nervous about something. A lot of gang member in the market were afraid of her, what could made their Sister Dambi got that nervous?

“Hear me out. There’s Royal Blessing’s Rain outside,” Dambi explained in low tone. Jeonghan’s eyes widened. Oh no, it couldn’t be good.

Royal Blessing’s Rain is a rain of shimmering lights which were actually magic that could only be produced by the Royal Bloods, people who had place in the palace; The King and The Princes. As long as he remembered, Jeonghan only saw Royal Blessing’s Rain twice in his entire life. First one was when he was five, the King came back from battle field with glory. He came back with a lot of slaves on his baggage, making Jeonghan wanted to puke. The second time was when he was eight, the First Prince was making his first errand ever as a First Prince, punishing the people who were spies from another kingdom. There were three people in total, one woman in her thirties, man in his fifties, and a boy than even younger than ten. The three of them were hanged in the city plaza. That was the time when Jeonghan swear to himself to never associate with the palace, no matter what.

“Whoa, it’s so beautiful!” a kid pointed at the window. Other children started to look at the window as well. Jeonghan and Joshua looked at each other and nodded.

“Aaah, Shua-ya is about to give you guys a surprise!” Jeonghan shouted. The children’s attention shifted to Joshua in a second. While Joshua tried to distract them, Jeonghan closed the curtains. Dambi smiled at how mature the oldest children were. Dambi took a deep breath and prayed inside her heart. Please let them be safe.

Outside of the church, the Father Priest came out from the church followed by Sister Nana. Sister Nana looked tensed but she tried to be as relaxed as she could. Nothing good happened when Royal Blood left the palace. They always came out for bad things, taking stroll is even dangerous. Nana remembered a lot of times when she was a little child when her parents hid her away from the King’s Guard. When the Royal came out, she remembered there was one time when the King killed a lot of people in the market just because they didn’t want to give their children away. Nana felt nausea when she remembered how much blood was poured at the street that day.

Seungcheol felt bored already. The Royal Blessing’s Rain made people more afraid that he hoped it to be, so people ran inside their houses. The city people were more afraid to the Royals than what the First Prince expected it to be. He patted his pure white horse head, Dandelion. The Prime Minister Kim Yeonsoo followed behind him with his dark brown horse, Eva, one of the strongest horses in the Royal Stallion. Behind the Prime Minister some guards in silver armours walked in sync.

“It seems like there’s no Royal Blood here,” Kim Yeonsoo looked around. Royal Blessing’s Rain had a specific characteristic. When a Royal Blood made it happen, the other Bloods could change the colour of the shimmering lights that emitted by touching it. Usually the lights disappeared when it touched the skin, but other Royals could change its colour. The lights naturally bounced from the skin and changed colour before disappear on the ground. The First Prince natural colour was aqua blue lights, looking a lot like blue flame while the King’s light was yellowish. People didn’t really know about the First Prince other than he is a man of silence. He almost never talks whenever he was out. People feared him less than the King, but his ruthlessness when he was killing the spies in the plaza always been remembered by the town people.

“Ask them to take the children out,” Seungcheol asked in low voice. Yeonsoo bowed and the guards started to bang the doors in the area. Seungcheol took Dandelion to walk a little further while his guards asking people to bring their kids out. Yeonsoo made sure that all of the kids didn’t change the Rain’s colour.

Seungcheol walked down the market, following the road. He saw a grand old church in front of him. Seungcheol remembered the church from years ago. If he wasn’t wrong, the church had an orphanage inside. Orphanage meant a lot of children to check on. Seungcheol brushed Dandelion’s head with his hand. “Let’s go there.”

Seungcheol saw an old Priest and a nun in front of the church. The nun looked really tense while the Priest was smiling. Seungcheol was a little surprised that the Priest looked like that, it’s his first time ever seeing someone didn’t get afraid of the Royals. It always had been like that his whole life. When Seungcheol got close enough to the church, the Priest greeted him.

“Good evening, Your Highness. Can we help you with something?” Father asked with soothing voice. Sister Nana bowed behind him.

“I need to see the children,” Seungcheol asked. Nana was surprised that he came by himself, now he is talking too? It was way more nerve-wrecking this way.

“I’m terribly sorry Your Highness, but this is the time for the kids to sleep, can we have the time until tomorrow to let you see them?” the Priest asked. Seungcheol looked at him.

“It’s fine, I can go into their room. You don’t need to wake them up,” Seungcheol hoped from his horse to the ground. Dandelion stayed at the place Seungcheol left him. Nana was surprised at how chill Seungcheol’s reaction toward Father’s rejection, but offering to see the children himself is such a bad idea. The Father took a deep breath and leaded him.

“Follow me,” he walked into the church, then to the hall passage to the other building, the orphanage. The Rain followed Seungcheol inside, making the entire church filled with shimmering aqua blue lights. Sister Dambi was in front of the stairs to the bedroom. She bowed and guided them to the bedroom. Seungcheol looked at the door beside him as he walked.

“What is this room?” he asked.

“It’s playroom, Your Highness,” Sister Nana answered. Seungcheol didn’t ask for permission and he opened the door. It was a quite wide room with a lot of bookshelves and toys on the floor. The walls and ceiling were decorated with a lot of colourful decoration. It definitely looked like a room where children would play. Seungcheol walked in, made sure there was no place for someone to hide and walked outside. “Where’s the bedroom?”

Seungcheol walked on the wooden stairs that seemed quite old yet sturdy. He walked to an isle filled with a couple of doors. Each doors had names on it. Seungcheol checked each room one by one. The first room seemed to fill with a lot of younger kids. They were definitely didn’t sleep yet since they’re smiling but Seungcheol didn’t think it was a bad thing. People afraid of Royals, it’s nothing new. As the lights came with him, he checked how the children reacted to the light. Seems like no one was a Royal in the room. He walked outside and tried the other room, not really that far off from the first room, but the kids were a little bit older. Maybe five years old. Seungcheol checked the third room. This time, the kids looked a little bit older, maybe eight or nine years old. Their acting was a little bit better than the younger kids and the chance they’re Royals were also a bit bigger so Seungcheol checked more thoroughly.

The King always been known for sleeping with a lot of people. The King didn’t mind gender or age, he did it with every person he wanted to. That was the year when he did it with everyone and didn’t care at all, but after the year of the birth of their last brother Chan, The King started to kill off all the children that was born from his sperm since the diviner said more kids after Chan would bring him and the country to hell on earth. It seemed like a lot of women too young to bear kid and died also, so Seungcheol couldn’t sure how many his brothers or sisters actually he had. The diviner specifically said ten Princes so these two people he was trying to find must be male.

Seungcheol was sure that wasn’t any children left in the room so he went out and came into the fourth room. The fourth room was not filled with a lot of beds like the other room, it only had four beds. The bed only filled by two children. Seungcheol frowned but he checked the two of them.

Not them.

He walked outside to meet the Priest and Nuns. “Where’s the other children?” he asked.

“They’re all we had,” the Priest said calmly.

“There are empty beds in there,” Seungcheol asked again.

“Some of our older children couldn’t survive,” Sister Dambi jumped into the conversation. Seungcheol looked into her eyes.

“Oh, is that so?”

In the second he said that, the air surrounding them became heavy in a second. The Priest and Nuns started to have trouble breathing, after a few seconds they stumbled and fell on the floor. As they struggling, they could hear the children cried inside their room. Seungcheol stood up in front of them, unbothered. Nana remembered what was thought by her tutor in her young days. Magic sounded so fancy, yet magic usually done for defence so Royal Bloods could live longer. It protects them from things like poison and it made them recover quicker than average people. Every Royal Bloods had different colour and shape of magic, their King had yellowish colour and he couldn’t use magic other than that. It seemed like the previous King also couldn’t do anything with magic either. Yet now, they witnessed how the First Prince somehow manipulate the air around them with something; definitely magic.

“No-ugh… th…e.. children…” Dambi pleaded on Seungcheol’s feet.

“Where are they?” Seungcheol asked again. The Priest couldn’t even talk but he shook his head. Seungcheol didn’t even budge seeing that. He stood still, didn’t even lift his hand. It stayed for a few minutes and the children’s cries went harder. Suddenly from the ceiling above them, they heard a loud bang and a part of the ceiling came off to the floor with loud bang, followed by a person landed on his back. Seungcheol looked at him. He looked about his age, a little bit shorter than him and really skinny. He looked unhealthy and weak, but his eyes were glaring at him. After that, another boy also came down from the ceiling, landed on his feet perfectly. This other boy had blonde-or white-hair, a little bit longer than his own hair. After seeing them, Seungcheol stopped manipulating the air and walked closer to them.

The light from his Rain touched the white blonde haired boy’s hand and it bounced, changed colour to light purple. The light purple touched the other boy’s face and it bounced, changed to light pink. Seungcheol raised his eyebrows.

“Spare of time for me, got the two lost Princes in one shot.”


	3. Meet The Princes

Jeonghan hated this so much.

He hated being in a carriage, he hated surrounded by guards in armour, he hated being constantly alarmed by all the people around him. Jeonghan and Joshua couldn’t even bring anything other than the clothes that warped on their bodies. They couldn’t even make sure that the Sisters, Father and their siblings in the orphanage were okay.

Jeonghan planned to live a peaceful life with his brother until the day he died, and if he was lucky he might even get married to a girl that owned flower shop. Jeonghan knew life won’t be that easy on him after all. He first realized when he was five, that he was different. When he saw the Blessing Rain for the first time, he thought, how weird that the light changed colour when it touched him, but then he realized other people didn’t do that. He tried to ask to the sisters as innocent as he could and the change in the sister’s face made him understood that was not a good thing. He later realized that Joshua was the same as him, but he changed it into lighter colour, like a pink but softer. Jeonghan wanted to curse his life once again, not only him but also Joshua? How unfortunate they could be?

Having Royal Bloods was never a good thing, the Royals constantly in tense because they fight for the throne. Jeonghan didn’t have any lick of interest on that, Joshua only thought that it was a waste of time. The Sisters and Father in the church had a meeting before, they all agreed to hide Jeonghan and Joshua from the Royals. They were so sure that their two boys would be killed for sure since the less competition for the throne would be better, but got dragged into the Palace was never part of Jeonghan’s plan.

“Don’t tell me they will make us formal Royals,” Jeonghan said in low voice to Joshua. Joshua’s face darkened.

“No,” Joshua shook his head. “I rather die.”

“Don’t die, idiot,” Jeonghan pinched Joshua’s side. Joshua was trying his hardest to not make any sound. “Stay alive is our number one priority. That’s why sisters and Father hid us.”

Joshua pouted. “You know how much I hate this.”

Jeonghan sighed. Joshua was always a kind soul, he never curses in his entire life… but if he was really mad about something, or he was talking about a thing he really hates he could be really fierce. Though, the kind guy always forgives at the end. For this life time, talking about his parents were one of Joshua’s triggers. He was sad about how he was abandoned, but then he found out that he was also part of Royals and it made his blood boiled. Then it meant the best scenario was his mom hid him from his dad, the worst scenario is his mom just died and he became homeless at some point after; and no one cares about his mother.

Joshua always had that soft spot for other people around himself, when people around him were hurt he couldn’t _not_ get mad. Like when the First Prince suffocated the whole church, Joshua banged the ceiling until it actually broke and fell to the ground. The Royals always treat the citizen like they were some kind of livestock or something, not caring about how they felt or their well-being. When a pandemic happened once, the Royals kept inside and not bothered to even look at how the town folks were doing. They fight by themselves, a lot of people travelled out of the town to find medicine from other region. The guards worked for the Palace only, even though they came back with medicine, it was only used for people in the Palace. Joshua couldn’t understand that level of selfishness.

Yet Jeonghan understood, since he saw a lot of greedy people in his past life. His mother was the best person to describe what greedy was. Jeonghan swore he would not be that kind of person his entire life, yet now he came into the den of that madness. He cursed inside his heart. Now what? He should make an entire new plan to leave the Palace with Joshua. For now playing along might be the best solution.

“Here we are,” Yeonsoo hoped down from his horse and helped Jeonghan and Joshua to walk down from the carriage. Yeonsoo bowed and let the First Prince to lead the way. The First Prince looked bored and exhausted, Jeonghan started to get his character. It wasn’t that he was scary, it was more like he didn’t have any interest at anything. After hoped down his horse, Seungcheol walked into the Palace. Yeonsoo made a gesture with his hands that exclaimed that the boys should follow the Prince. They looked at each other for a second but then they followed the First Prince. Yeonsoo and the guards followed after them. A couple of guards in gold armour bowed when they saw Seungcheol.

“Your Highness,” the two guards greeted at the same time. Seungcheol stopped walking.

“Where’s The King?” he asked with his deep voice.

“Inside the Bouquet Room,” one of them answered. Seungcheol frowned, unhappy. Jeonghan caught the feeling when he saw the changed on Seungcheol’s face. It was interesting, the First Prince didn’t really show his expression after all. And what the heck is ‘Bouquet Room’? What kind of room is that? Like a code name for a room? Well, in the orphanage they named some of the room with animal’s name, and in his past life usually people used flowers name, or food name, or hero’s name for room naming. But Bouquet? How uncreative is that?

“I bring back the Princes. Let him know, whenever you want. I want to rest,” Seungcheol walked away.

“Yes, Your Highness,” both of the guards answered. Yeonsoo bowed as he walked away and then he looked at Jeonghan and Joshua.

“I will show you your room,” Yeonsoo leaded the way. Jeonghan and Joshua followed them in silence. The guards stopped following them after a while, but Jeonghan could hear someone clicked their tongue. Jeonghan sighed. It won’t be easy, suddenly serving a nobody like him, yeah, he totally agrees with that attitude.

“If I may ask… how old are you, Your Highness?” Yeonsoo asked.

“I’m thirteen, will be fourteen next October,” Jeonghan answered first. Joshua sighed.

“Same. Will be fourteen next December.”

Yeonsoo nodded, though the two of them couldn’t see his face when he was doing that. This man was a pro at keeping poker face, they couldn’t tell what was in his mind. Even the First Prince was easier to judge.

“The Palace always had eight Princes, so it might be a little bit different and new. Your Highnesses are directly below the First Prince, but the title wouldn’t be Second and Third Princes because Junhui-nim and Soonyoung-nim already had the title since they were little. Your title would be the Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince,” Yeonsoo explained.

“Sure,”Jeonghan couldn’t even care about that now. He looked around, looking at the building’s landscape. Maybe he could just sneak out one day and never came back.

“Why now?” Joshua couldn’t stop himself to ask. Yeonsoo stopped walking, the two boys followed him and stopped. Jeonghan was also asking inside his heart but he didn’t expect Josgua to just ask like that. “We’ve been free for thirteen years. Why now?” he asked again.

“A prophecy was made,” Yeonsoo explained in calming voice. He turned around to face the boys.

“What prophecy?” Jeonghan asked.

“It’s too late already, please take some rest. This room is for the Ninth Prince and the room on the other side is for the Tenth Prince,” Yeonsoo used his right hand to show them the door to their room. Jeonghan’s room was on the left side while Joshua’s room was on the right side. Yeonsoo didn’t really say anything and walked away. Jeonghan and Joshua looked at each other.

“I’m not gonna sleep in this fucking hell alone. Sleeping with you,” Jeonghan declared.

“Not that I could either,” Joshua shrugged. “Let’s just pick whichever room.”

They picked the left room that should be Jeonghan’s room. The moment they walked in, the cold air felt different for them. The room was really spacious and filled with a lot of gold things, artistic walls, pillars and everything, but yet it seemed so cold. So different from their small yet filled with kid’s drawings and bunk beds that felt warm. Jeonghan hissed and tried to walk in the dark room, adjusting his eyes to the darkness. Joshua followed him and tried to walk as slowly as possible so he didn’t hit anything, he couldn’t afford to replace even one thing in this room. The moonlight that shone from the window at the side of the room really helped them adjust. They walked to the massive bed and sat on it. Both of them were surprised, they looked at each other with wide eyes. They never felt anything more fluffy and soft in their life, even when in Jeonghan’s past life.

Jeonghan felt like his stamina suddenly sucked dry, the exhaustlessness and nervousness from before suddenly all came back to him because he was already in relaxed state. Joshua was already sleeping before even knowing it, letting out a soft snore. Jeonghan took a deep breath and looked at the high ceiling. Such a foreign place, such a weird position to be in, but it seemed like he was okay. He needed to readjust his schedule and plan. But let all of it be tomorrow’s problem, now he needs to rest because tomorrow won’t be an easy day…

*

Both Jeonghan and Joshua were used to get up in the morning, but the maids were ready since dawn. One of the maids walked into the room and woke them up. Jeonghan was surprised to see an unfamiliar woman at first, but her calming posture and gesture made Jeonghan calmed down faster too. He looked at the maid’s white and dark green dress, what a fancy dress to use as a maid, but all of them dressed the same. Jeonghan woke Joshua up by himself and after a couple of maids trying to help them clean their bodies but they refused as hard as they could. Still, the maids helped them with their clothes and morning tea.

Jeonghan felt uncomfortable with these women around him helping him doing things he usually could do by himself, but seeing Joshua able to socialize more made him happy. It didn’t like Jeonghan didn’t want to talk with other people, but the situation really awkward and weird for him to understand, yet Joshua seemed like to enjoy talking with the maids, about their everyday task and their everyday life, relating with what they were talking about.

After about an hour of preparing themselves, Jeonghan and Joshua came out from the room completely different with how they were the previous night. Their hair was combed back, neatly. They used Royal attires, red cloak, gold sash on the right side with gold lion pin, white shirt with long sleeves, buttoned up, black belt. Jeonghan wanted to open his upper button but Joshua stopped him.

“It should be that way, it’s not proper if it’s not buttoned until up here,” Joshua explained what the maid said to him. Jeonghan clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. “Sure.”

“We need to adjust quickly and leave quickly too,” Joshua looked at Jeonghan. “Isn’t that what we’re agree for?”

Jeonghan nodded. “Yeah. Let’s leave this place as soon as possible.”

They walked to the Royal Banquet Hall, the room that supposedly to be used for Royal Family Banquet, didn’t happen that often according to the maids. Joshua looked at the window as he walked. “I wonder how the children are doing.”

Jeonghan sighed. “I hope they’re doing fine. I’m concerned about you too, this morning was fine but last night you coughed nonstop.”

“It’s because of the cold. This place is colder than our place after all. We don’t have any lights or fire last night, if we ask to light up the fireplace it might get better,” Joshua tried to calm his brother down. Jeonghan always had been sensitive about his health since they were little after all.

Jeonghan cursed the non-existent of lamps inside of his heart. Electronic things were not invented in this life time, Jeonghan didn’t even know whether it would be invented or not in the future, because this world definitely was different from his past world. Well, the buildings reminded him a lot of old England, kind of style, so was the culture and the people lived there were definitely more like Korean, but other than that it was different. Jeonghan spent thirteen years of his life studying to live in this world, not to live in a jail like this.

“Oooh, the new Princes are here. Well, they aren’t new, supposedly,” a young boy with royal attire stood at the side of the hall, looking at them with a cheeky grin on his face. Jeonghan frowned at the sight. Well, apparently someone is not Korean. His hair was brownish red, like almond. His facial feature looked like western people than Asian, at least in Jeonghan’s opinion. He looked like a kid from movie Home Alone that he often watched in the orphanage in his past life.

“Good morning,” Joshua greeted first with his genuine dashing smile. The western-like prince grin wider and patted Joshua on his shoulder even though Joshua was definitely taller and older.

“Good morning, Hyungnim! I’m the Seventh Prince, Vernon. Or Hansol. Well, Vernon,” he shrugged at the end. Jeonghan raised one of his eyebrows. Why he had different names?

“I’m Joshua. And this is Jeonghan, nice to meet you, Vernon-nim,” Joshua kept his shining smile.

“I-I’m also here,” a kid younger than Vernon popped out from behind the pillar. He looked a little bit shyer but he came out after all. He bowed politely and looked at them in the eye. “I’m the Eighth Prince, Chan. Nice to meet you, Hyungnim.”

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Joshua smiled and raised his hand, asking for a handshake. Chan’s face turned red but he nodded and shook the hand with his own. Chan was surprised at how bony his new brother’s hand was. Vernon raised his eyebrows, surprised, but he chuckled.

“It’s so fresh seeing people from outside, like I thought! Don’t do this to the other, though. I won’t recommend that,” Vernon grinned. “And for tip, I recommend being friend with Sixth Prince first is better than with Third Prince first. And don’t talk to Fourth Prince unless it’s necessary. And… it might be a little bit surprising, but the King has a lot of dolls.”

Jeonghan was confused the entire time but he frowned at the end of Vernon’s sentence. “Dolls…?”

Vernon laughed hard at Jeonghan’s confused face. “How amusing!” he left as he laughed. Chan bowed and followed his brother to the Royal Banquet Hall.

“Wow, that was a lot,” Joshua looked at Jeonghan. “The question is whether he is lying or serious.”

Jeonghan looked at the young boy’s back as he walked away. “I don’t know either, but my guts telling me that he is not kidding.”

Jeonghan was sincerely shocked by how they were… welcoming? Or greeting? Well, how they talked normally to them. Jeonghan was assuming that they would at least spit to them. Not even a curse word? Vernon especially looked like a kid that was really bored and finally met new toy while Chan reminded him to a young kid in their orphanage that was so shy.

Joshua sighed. “How could we know which one is Sixth Prince, which one is Fourth? The only Prince that ever showed his face properly was only the First.”

“Let’s hope we don’t bump to them until we’re at the Hall.”

“Bump to who?” a high toned voice made both of them jumped. They both looked at the voice and found another boy with royal attire. This boy’s got a cute face with fair skin. His eyes were a little bit smaller than average, it almost made a straight line when he smile. His hair was orange-ish blonde, a little bit darker than Jeonghan’s hair colour but still bright. It made his fair skin looked brighter and complements his bright look.

“The two lost Princes are friends? How nice!” he said without any ill intention. “Now you’ve found out that you guys are brothers, it must be shocking!”

“Uh.. yeah, a little,” Jeonghan said still in confused state. People in this place liked to jump into conversation out of nowhere. Luckily Joshua caught up the situation faster.

“Good morning, Dear Brother. My name is Joshua, I came to this Palace last night with my brother, Jeonghan. May I ask for your name if it’s not a problem?” Joshua’s mannerism caught the Prince out of guard but he collected himself rather quick.

“Oh, of course it’s not! And what’s with that ‘Dear Brother’ hahaha, you’re making me cringe. I’m Soonyoung! I’m also the Third Prince,” he smiled wide. Jeonghan smiled back but he made a quick note inside his head.

“I think we need to come into the Banquet Hall soon?” Jeonghan smiled made him looked innocent. Soonyoung observed him for a second before smiling back.

“Yes, I think so too. Let’s go inside,” Soonyoung walked passed them to the Royal Banquet Hall ahead. Jeonghan looked at Joshua and Joshua nodded at him, giving a notice that he understood what Jeonghan trying to tell him. Jeonghan and Joshua lived together for ten years in this life time, they got used to the other to the point they almost always understand what the other party thinking about only with eye contact. Jeonghan took a deep breath and walked ahead, followed by Joshua.

Royal Banquet Hall was at the centre of the castle’s second floor building. It had three doors, two at the sides for maids and guards to come in, while the grand door in the middle of the room were used only by people in high position and the Royals themselves. Usually the door would be closed, but whenever they had a schedule to eat together like this morning, the grand door opened widely. Even though it was the same castle, Jeonghan didn’t understand how the Hall looked even fancier than the whole castle. Almost everything covered in gold. The wall is filled with paintings and artwork, Jeonghan could see some art marble on the floor. And for addition, the maids were different than maids that served them. These maids were using dark red dresses with white attribute and fancier attributes, while the guards were all in gold armour. The windows at the back of the room were coloured glasses with illustration designed like people surrounding a man with crown on his head. Narcissism much, eh?

Jeonghan walked to a giant table in the middle of the room, already covered with gold tableware. He saw familiar faces; Vernon and Chan facing each other at seats those were a little bit farer to the head of the table while Soonyoung seemed to sit on the seat a little bit nearer to the head of the table. Not long after he saw Seungcheol came and sat on the corner left side of the table, right beside Soonyoung and another boy that he didn’t meet yet sat in front of Seungcheol, at the corner right side. Jeonghan assumed that the arrangement was based on the age order, so that was why Seungcheol sat at the corner left, because he was the First Prince. The new person that came must be Second Prince that Jeonghan didn’t know whose name yet and Soonyoung was the Third so he sat beside Seungcheol. The one that sat beside the Second Prince at the right side of the table must be the Fourth Prince. Jeonghan got the pattern, yet something was a little bit off with the table arrangement. It looks like his confusion showed because one of the maids showed him his chair, right beside Vernon while Joshua was on the other side of the table, beside Chan. After sitting down, they looked at each other. It seemed like Joshua shared Jeonghan’s confusion; why is this table has so much tableware?

The table was really massive, even with ten people it still left a lot of space. Jeonghan thought that it was the Royal Banquet Hall, so it must be designed for the Royals gathering, so that was why this table was hella huge. Maybe the chairs were for when other family members, or maybe another country came and eat with the Royals as well. But, if that was the case, then why they had a lot of tableware as well on the table this time? The table was in rectangle shape, so the Princes sat on the left and right sides of the table, near the head of the table, since the head of the table had different kind of seat, covered with gold ornament. There was another two places on the right and left side of the King seat, at the head of table’s place, before to the corner left and right side; yet none of the Princes sat on the ‘special’ two seats right beside the King seat. Beside him and Joshua, there were dozens of other empty seats with tableware in front of it, looked like people would use it.

Jeonghan decided to ignore the empty seats and observed the other Princes, as this was his rare chance to look at all of the Princes at the same time and place. The First Prince was obviously Seungcheol that Jeonghan most familiar with. The boy didn’t say anything the whole time, only looked at his plate with bored look. The one that sat in front of him must be the Second Prince. He looked gentle and kind when he talked to the maid and to Chan earlier when he came in, but after he sat on his seat he seemed like didn’t really have any intention to talk anymore. Next is Soonyoung the Third Prince, the one that Jeonghan just met. He smiled most of the time but when he was quite, Jeonghan could feel that his person was actually really dangerous. But, it seemed like he was genuinely happy when he was talking with the boy who sat beside him. Jeonghan frowned and tried to count. Left side must be odd number so the Fifth Prince. The Fifth Prince looked like a good person, he talked both to Soonyoung and to Vernon happily. He seemed a little bit shy to talk to Jeonghan but he did smile at him at some point, but didn’t have a chance to greet him since Vernon was between them.

“His name is Seokmin. Seokmin-hyungnim for me, but I dunno for you. Are you older than him?” Vernon whispered to Jeonghan.

“Ah, yes, probably. I’m at the same age with the First Prince,” Jeonghan explained with a whisper too. Vernon made a surprised face silently.

“Didn’t expect you to be that old. Well, since I was so rude and assuming your age without any base, I will tell you a little about the other Princes. And I’m bored too, haha,” Vernon chuckled by himself. Jeonghan only let out a forced dry laugh.

“The First Prince is Seungcheol-Hyungnim. Already know him, right? He is really famous after all. He won’t hurt you unless you disturb him first,” Vernon jumped into the important stuff. Jeonghan blinked. It might just be the information he needed!

“The Second Prince is Junhui-Hyungnim. He is quite reserved and doesn’t talk a lot but a really gentle person. I don’t recommend messing with him, though. And for a newbie like you, avoiding him is probably a good idea,” Vernon nodded to himself. Jeonghan frowned. What a contradictive information, but he won’t stop Vernon from talking.

“The Third Prince is Soonyoung-Hyungnim. I already said it but you’re screwed if you know him first before knowing the Sixth Prince,” Vernon grinned. “Yet I saw you talked with Soonyoung-Hyungnim before. He is interested in you guys now. How fun is that?”

Jeonghan frowned, confused, but Vernon didn’t care and carried on with his information time. “Fourth Prince, Wonwoo-Hyungnim. Well, like I said, don’t talk to him unless it’s necessary.”

“The Fifth Prince is Seokmin-Hyungnim, hey Hyungnim, the new Prince is want to know you,” Vernon nudged Seokmin with his arm. Seokmin looked at Vernon and immediately smiled when he saw Jeonghan.

“Hello! I’m sorry for the late introduction, I’m Seokmin, the Fifth Prince!” Seokmin looked bright as he talk. Jeonghan smiled back.

“I’m also sorry for not being able to introduce myself yet. My name is Jeonghan,” Jeonghan gave him a little nod. Seokmin nodded back and he came back to Soonyoung, continued their conversation from before.

“And next the Sixth Prince is Mingyu-Hyungnim. He likes Soonyoung-Hyungnim so much so he hates everyone that take his attention away,” Vernon explained quick. Jeonghan frowned. “Is that why you said I better to know Sixth Prince first?”

“That and other things,” Vernon grinned. “And next, is me, of course, the Seventh Prince. Do you want to know anything about me?”

“Why are you telling me this? Aren’t you supposed to hate me because I come from nowhere to be a Prince? Aren’t you hates me for adding the number for candidate of next King?” Jeonghan shoot him with the question he wanted to ask since the first time he saw Vernon.

Vernon raised his eyebrows and laughed hysterically, until the whole table; no; the whole Hall’s attention shifted to him. The whole Hall was in silence, only Vernon’s high pitched laugh filled the air. The laugh made the whole Royal Banquet Hall silent, because of the pressure, the tone and everything. He calmed down after two seconds, looking at Jeonghan in the eyes.

“You think there’s one of us that like being in here?”

He said it so loud in the silence so his voice echoed softly. That moment made Jeonghan frozen, he got goosebumps all over his skin. Joshua could hear his own blood rushing to his heart. He knew that Jeonghan also got surprised by Vernon sudden confession. How could someone younger than them be this twisted? Joshua looked at how Chan clenched his fist together so hard that his fingers turned white. Joshua smiled warmly and held his cold hands with his own hand. Chan looked at Joshua, a little bit surprised but he looked happy and held Joshua’s hand back. Joshua smiled and looked at Vernon again.

Vernon smiled sweetly to Jeonghan and tilted his head.

“I need some entertainment for myself, once in a while, Hyungnim.”


	4. Planning - First Week in The Castle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who is ready for some JeongCheol???   
> Hehehehehe

“It’s enough,” First Prince’s low voice took over the attention. His charisma definitely beat the awkwardness because the heavy air that left after Vernon’s sudden laugh and confession disappeared in a second.

“The King would be here soon,” Seungcheol stood up, the whole table stood up with him so Jeonghan and Joshua followed them and stood up too. The maids made a neat line near the wall while the guard took their lance and bring it up to their chest. Jeonghan and Joshua heard steps; couple of steps… dozens of steps? But some of the steps weirdly light, didn’t sound like guards. Jeonghan raised one of his eyebrows, confused, yet Vernon looked amused looking at his reaction. Jeonghan wanted to kick him on his knee at least once, this boy is definitely too cheeky for him to handle.

“You’re about to see the King’s favourites,” he whispered almost without voice, not even a hiss. Jeonghan frowned harder. He showed his confusion with his face. Vernon bit his lip to stop his smile.

“The dolls. We call them ‘Flowers’.”

Jeonghan looked more confused.

Dolls? Flowers?

A second after that, the King came into the Hall. The dozens of light steps were explained with what he saw with his eyes; dozens of children followed him to the Hall. All of them were using maroon cloak, black shorts and maroon hat. Some of them were using long sleeves white shirt, some were using short sleeves. They all dressed the same and walked in sync. Jeonghan could guess half of them were about eight to fifteen years and the other might be around sixteen to twenty years old. The children sat on the empty chairs beside Joshua and Jeonghan while one of the children followed the King to his seat, helped him sat and then sat down on his left side. The kid looked younger than Jeonghan , he was a little bit taller than him though. He looked really attractive Jeonghan should say, and for someone who is hanging out with Joshua as long as he remembers and having attractive face himself, that statement is not without proper judgement. The boy looked really proper and gentle, yet somehow he looked a little bit soulless. The right seat of the King appeared to be empty. Jeonghan looked at Joshua in front of him.

Joshua’s face was darkened in a second but he calmed down after few seconds.

“You may sit,” the King said and the whole table sat down.

“As you may see, two of you were lost, and now they’re back. Following the prophecy, ten Princes shall be in the Palace,” the King repeated what he heard from the diviner before.

Jeonghan frowned when heard that.

Wait a minute, it sounded familiar. Where did he hear something like that before?

Ten Princes shall be in the Palace…

AH!

The novel that he read in his past life! About the Prince that had a life full of misery and dead after helping his brother gets the throne! That was the plot of the story! The main character Prince was taken by the First Prince at the Palace and was brought back to the Palace, that’s why the main character like the First Prince so much, because he was helping him! The prophecy is that the kingdom would fall if the Nine Princes didn’t come together in the Palace…

Wait, something is wrong.

Nine… The story is different. In the novel he read, it should be Nine Princes, not Ten Princes. Is the story changed because he prayed to be together with Joshua? Is that the reason why? If that’s it, then he might know something from the story that can help them escape, or at least to avoid danger!

Jeonghan’s brain was too busy working that he didn’t realized he was called.

“Jeonghan-ssi,” Joshua’s calm voice snapped him back to reality. “Introduce yourself.”

“Oh yeah,” Jeonghan stood up. “My name is Yoon Jeonghan. I’m thirteen years old.”

“I’m Joshua, the same age.”

“They will bear the name of Ninth Prince,” he pointed at Jeonghan with his point finger, after that he pointed to Joshua, “and Tenth Prince from now on. Now let’s eat,” the King didn’t even bother to say their name. Jeonghan sat down on his seat, trying to calm down. Let’s think about this later, Jeonghan has all the time he needs. Let’s discuss this later with Joshua.

*

“That’s insane. He actually uses children as his plaything! I’m gonna crazy I swear!” Joshua shouted as soon as he arrived at the room. Jeonghan ran to the bed and rolled on the bed.

“Our country has such a perverted old man as a King, how fun,” Jeonghan said, sarcastically. “And you know what? He called them Flowers. Like, what the fuck?”

Joshua looked disturbed by the new information he just got. “I got sick in my stomach.”

“Hear me out, I have information,” Jeonghan started to get serious. He sat up and talked about his conversation with Vernon and what he got from his observation, about the Princes mostly. Joshua pain full attention to Jeonghan and nodded a few times while listening, indicating concentration on the topic.

“Chan didn’t really talk much but he told me something. You see that the seat at King’s right side was empty and the left side was filled by a boy, right?” Joshua asked. Jeonghan nodded. The attractive one. Well, all of them were attractive, but that boy stood out more.

“Chan said that the left seat guy was called Eunwoo. He is two years younger than us,” Joshua started. Jeonghan kinda guessed that, but it didn’t stop him from wanting to vomit when he heard that. “The King’s favourite. And apparently the right side should be seated by another boy called Minghao at the same age. Both of them are King’s favourites but Minghao was slipped when he was doing chore or something and got injured so now he is bed resting… said the news but apparently it seemed like he just didn’t want to be in the Banquet so he injured himself.”

Jeonghan raised his eyebrows. “What a dedication, to injure yourself.”

“It’s just showed how much he hated that,” Joshua said bitterly. He looked at Jeonghan on his eyes.

“It seems like we’re too naïve. There are a lot of things we didn’t know. I think it’s because we’re just kids but a lot of things that is not told by the Sisters and Father,” Joshua looked pained. “I never knew children are used like this inside the Palace.”

“Not to mention that even the Princes weren’t that happy about this either,” Joshua looked away.

“They might weren’t happy about this, but it doesn’t mean they don’t want it,” Jeonghan interrupted. Joshua looked at him and Jeonghan smiled at him. “Hey, I know you like the little boy Chan. I’m not talking about him.” 

Jeonghan might forget a lot of stuffs in the novel that he read in his past life, but he did remember a couple of important stuffs. He remembered he was thinking about how perverted the King was, but he forgot everything about Flowers or even the age of the people the King ‘used’ as his ‘Flowers’ in the book. He remembered that the First Prince took the main character from the slum and brought him into the Palace, but he forgot how the main character lived before he moved into the Palace. He remembered about the prophecy that Nine Princes should be in the castle and how accurate those prophecies were to the point that the King always obeyed the prophet. He remembered that he didn’t like a group of Princes that seemed nice at first but actually played behind the main character’s back a lot, though he didn’t remembered which one. The main character was a little bit slow as well, Jeonghan kinda wanted to smack him. He remembered there was this one weird Prince whose thoughts couldn’t be predicted. He remembered a couple of kind and gentle Princes as well, and one of them was the youngest one.

The one that died first not long after the main character went into the Palace.

Jeonghan definitely didn’t want the gentle boy to die, so he won’t let that happen. Jeonghan knew that the storyline seemed to be the same, but a lot of things were different too. Like how Joshua involved in the story, it might be able to change some of the storyline as well. Or maybe, Jeonghan could decide where the story goes, he wasn’t sure. He somehow a little bit relieved he didn’t read the book seriously. Knowing the exact story would only messed up his mind, let’s just keep the main story in mind and try to change the bad things.

“Shua-ya,” Jeonghan started the conversation.

“What?” Joshua whose thought was interrupted answered.

“What’s it now?” Jeonghan asked.

“What do you mean?” Joshua asked back.

“Until when are we gonna stay here?” Jeonghan asked seriously. Joshua frowned and looked at Jeonghan. It looked like he was unsure.

“I feel like there’s a lot more to find,” Joshua clenched his fists together. “It might be arrogant for a little kid for me to say this but I feel like I’m having responsibility now. I just think at how it’s possible for our brothers or sisters in the orphanage wearing those maroon cloaks in this place if it wasn’t because of our care takers. I feel like I want to vomit imagining that. Think about these children’s parents.”

Jeonghan smiled. “You’re as soft as usual,” he shrugged. “But that’s what makes you. Look, it’s not possible for us to help them unless one of us become King-but that’s impossible, so let’s not be unreasonable and think more rationally. Let’s find out a little bit more and go out from this place first, try to help them from the outside. We can’t help other people while we’re being trapped ourselves, Hong Joshua-ssi.”

Joshua sighed. “I understand. I know that it’s not possible to just help them, I just want to say it out loud so it’s not burdening me.”

Jeonghan patted Joshua’s shoulder. “I know what you mean. By the way, I have a request.”

“What?” Joshua tried to shift his attention from his disappointment.

“Let’s talk more with Chan also. I feel something bad will happen real fast to him.”

*

Observation was supposed to be Jeonghan’s number one priority… but somehow learning etiquette and basic knowledge became his everyday life. It wasn’t like he was bad at learning, it was just… unnecessary for him at the time, since he didn’t have any intention to be a Prince in a long period of time. Joshua was enthusiastic about learning more than Jeonghan, but he was as focused to find more about the Flowers as well.

“It seemed like a lot of Palace’s internal affair is handled by Prime Minister Kim Yeonsoo,” Joshua crossed arms. Both Jeonghan and Joshua were having lunch break from their study.

“He arranged the Princes study time, mentors, lesson. The King doesn’t touch anything other than punishment for the Princes. He was also there when the First Prince found us, remember?” Joshua asked. Jeonghan nodded.

“The Prime Ministers were the one who done most jobs. The King mostly just giving instruction, or he lets them handle the jobs even without instruction. He is one hell of a lazy King,” Jeonghan added. “Keeping his hands busy all day playing with the Flowers. If he attends meeting or whatever, at least that favourite Flower Eunwoo is with him.”

“And in my lesson today I actually learn about the Royal Prophecy,” Joshua finally talk about the topic he was aching to share. “Royal Prophecy is usually told by a diviner, but it’s different from normal prophet. It’s believed to be told by the source of magic in our Han Kingdom, that’s why it only could happen with certain condition fulfilled.”

“Condition?” Jeonghan tilted his head. Joshua nodded.

“The condition is the Magic. Magic should exist in the same room with the diviner with certain amount. Magic only exist in the blood of the blessed one, in this case is the Royal Bloods. Yet, the magic inside Royal Bloods also wasn’t that much, it’s only enough to defend themselves from poisoning and quick physical recovery. Only a few Royal Bloods gifted with more magic and could make Royal Blessing’s Rain. The King though, blessed with a lot of power so his magic should be enough alone to make the prophet, yet the King always summons all of the Princes whenever he needs to hear the prophet.”

Jeonghan frowned. “Sounds fishy to me.”

Joshua nodded. “I don’t know since when but his magic is definitely not as strong as he used to be.”

“That’s the information we gonna need,” Jeonghan grinned. “Great one, bro.”

“You guys seem to have fun,” a familiar voice greeted them. Of course, the Third Prince Soonyoung.

“Good afternoon,” Joshua greeted first with a smile. He remembered how Jeonghan warned him to be careful around this smiley boy that looked friendly. It was kinda funny for Joshua to hear that from Jeonghan because he definitely is the same kind of person that would definitely fake a smile for information.

“How’s your first week?” Soonyoung kept on asking.

“It went really well, thank you,” Jeonghan answered the question. Soonyoung looked at him with a wide smile. “That’s great!”

“How is your day, Soonyoung-nim?” Joshua asked to be polite.

“Same old lesson, boring,” Soonyoung rolled his eyes. “I want evening to come sooner, my Fencing Class starts in the evening.”

“You have Fencing Class? I’m so jealous!” a wild Vernon popped out of nowhere. “My day is full with theory classes.”

“I’m so lucky, aren’t I?” Soonyoung continued to brag. “You need to go through those classes first, you will get this class next year.”

“Ugh, I’m sooo jealous,” Vernon continued to whine. “Ah! Seungcheol-Hyungnim also has that class today!”

“Of course, we’re taking it together,” Soonyoung grinned. Vernon widened his eyes and started to yell.

“I’m super jealous!” Vernon tried to keep it in. “Ugh, class with Seungcheol-Hyungnim must be really interesting…”

“Why is that?” Jeonghan asked. Vernon looked at him and stared at him for a few seconds.

“It’s better for you to see it yourself,” he said at the end.

“Huh? Am I even allowed to watch other classes?” Jeonghan asked. Soonyoung chuckled at the question. After he calmed down, he looked into Jeonghan’s eyes.

“You definitely are not used to this at all. You are a Prince. Who can stop you?” Soonyoung’s smile looked a little bit cheeky, like a smirk. “Age have no meaning. All the Princes are Princes.”

“Here you are,” a deep rusty voice made them shifted their attention. A tall boy with royal attire looked annoyed as he walked toward them. His eyes were focused on Soonyoung, not even caring that he almost bumped to Joshua’s shoulder as he walked. He stopped walking right in front of Soonyoung.

“I thought we’re having lunch,” he said with annoyed tone. Soonyoung laughed it off. “What are you, a kid? Why are you throwing so much fit just because of lunch? And I haven’t eaten yet, why are you so mad for nothing?”

Jeonghan tensed up. Mingyu, the Sixth Prince. Jeonghan’s observation told him that this is definitely not the one you want to have problem with. He clung to Soonyoung every single day, Joshua even heard him got angry at Prime Minister Kim Yeonsoo to not have the same break day as Soonyoung the other day. That was why it was better to be friend with Mingyu first. If Soonyoung got your attention first, it was an instant hate from Mingyu. Knowing Mingyu first might minimalize the possibility, yet what was happen already happened. Jeonghan did a great job avoiding both of them all week long, but it seemed like they bound to meet each other one day anyway.

“You’re not greeting our new brothers,” Soonyoung warned Mingyu. Mingyu looked over his shoulder to look at the ‘brothers’ Soonyoung talked about. Mingyu took a full image inside his brain, looking up and down a couple of times to observe the two young boys in front of him.

“Good afternoon, I’m the Sixth Prince, Mingyu,” his greeting came out really polite, unexpectedly. Both Jeonghan and Joshua replied equally polite.

“Well, that’s it then, I want to eat. Let’s go eat, Mingyu-goon. See you later in the Fencing Class, Hyungnim!” Soonyoung waved his hand.

“That will be fun, I need to watch,” Vernon smiled widely. “Let’s invite the maknae as well.”

“Oh, speaking of which, where is he?” Jeonghan asked.

“Who?” Vernon asked back.

“Chan-goon,” Joshua replied.

“Chan? He is in his study room I suppose,” Vernon looked at them weirdly. “What’s wrong, why asking for him?”

“I’m just curious, it’s been a week and it was quite hard to talk with him,” Jeonghan shrugged.

“Of course it is hard. He was in the Chamber for three days,” Vernon shrugged.

“What the-Chamber!? What is that?” Jeonghan held himself from cussing.

“A chamber. It’s where they punish people. Princes only can be disciplined by the King’s order, though,” Vernon shrugged again.

“Punish him? Why? What did he do wrong?” Joshua asked, worriedly.

“Playing around with one of King’s favourite doll. It’s his bad habit,” Vernon rolled his eyes. “I warned him though, that kid is too hard headed for his own sake.”

Vernon smiled. “That’s what so good about him, though. Okay I’m out of here, I’m hungry. Bye!”

Jeonghan and Joshua looked at each other. “Such a weird character I can’t get him,” Jeonghan tilted his head.

“I don’t understand whether he is fond of Chan or not… But whatever, let’s visit him quick, I want to see how he is going.”

Jeonghan and Joshua rushed to one of the room at the same floor at the end of the hallway. Chan told them his study room once a few days ago. Both of them were about to go inside the room when they heard another low voice inside the room. Jeonghan and Joshua looked at each other. Is the mentor still in there? They both agreed to eavesdrop in silence.

“…and mess around with that Flower kid again. You always find time, aren’t you?”

Jeonghan’s eyes widened when he recognized the tone. It’s the First Prince!

“I’m sorry, Seungcheol-Hyungnim… I’m… He is just so pitiful, and I’m worried about Hyungnim as well…” Chan’s soft voice was heard. A loud deep sigh was heard.

“You know that the situation isn’t good now, aren’t you? The whole castle is on edge because of what happened between them, don’t add fuel to the fire. You can get killed if this continues.”

Jeonghan and Joshua frowned at each other. What? Was there some kind of big fight involving a Flower in the castle?

Really?

What kind of drama is that?

“I don’t want to see you near the Flowers Towers again, you hear me? Or else I will send you to the Chamber myself,” the threat sounded like an end but suddenly the door opened and both Jeonghan and Joshua fell on the floor because the door that carried their weights suddenly disappeared.

“You guys too, don’t touch the Flowers Towers,” Seungcheol suddenly gave them the same threat and walked away. Jeonghan and Joshua looked at each other and stood up as soon as he gone.

“Good afternoon, Chan-goon!” Joshua greeted first. Chan was surprised at first but he giggled happily looking at his brothers.

“Sit down please, I have more seats,” Chan let them sit on another chairs in the room. Chan asked some maid with dark orange dress to bring them lunch.

“Are you okay? I heard from Vernon-goon that you were sent to the Chamber?” Jeonghan asked.

“I’m fine. This time they only starved me, but then again, some maids kept on giving me food because they feel bad so it wasn’t as bad as it sounds, really,” Chan smiled. Jeonghan could see the difference on Chan’s face, though. He was definitely paler and his skin was drier.

“So… what is a Flowers Tower?” Jeonghan asked again.

“Ah, no one told you what that is?” Chan asked while pointing at a tower that connected by a hallway slash tunnel at the left wing of second floor of the castle. Jeonghan and Joshua shook their heads.

“We’re too busy to explore,” Joshua was being honest. Chan chuckled hearing that. Stuffing all the lesson he got since he was three until now to one week definitely would take a lot of time.

“That’s a Flowers Tower. A part of our Central Library is actually at that tower as well so sometimes Princes go there to find books and some references, but we don’t touch the Flowers room. I love the library since there’s a lot of book and… there’s quite place for once. My Dear Mother loved book as well,” he smiled warmly when he told them the story.

“I met Minghao-nim there. He likes book so much so he often hangs out at the Library. That’s how we become friends. I just wanted to visit him. I don’t regret going,” Chan looked stern with his explanation. Jeonghan smiled looking at this kid. His determination was amazing. Jeonghan patted his head which made Chan blushed hard.

“You are a kind kid, I know,” Jeonghan praised him. “It’s such a waste for you to be here.”

“Th-there are a lot of good people inside this castle!” Chan said in hurry. “Seungcheol-Hyungnim is really kind, he is just lonely and sad. Vernon-Hyungnim seemed bored all the time, but he actually really kind too! He is just awkward at showing it. Soonyoung-Hyungnim is really kind, he is just really, really lonely sometimes. Wonwoo-Hyungnim doesn’t talk much but he was always sending maids to give me food every time I was sent into the Chamber. Mingyu-Hyungnim is a little bit too obsessed with Soonyoung-Hyungnim, but that’s given, Soonyoung-Hyungnim is really important for him after all. Mingyu-Hyungnim actually cares a lot about other people too, he often helps the maids if they’re doing hard jobs or ask me if I’m sick when other people didn’t notice at all. Seokmin-Hyungnim is really really really kind from the bottom of his heart, he is just kind by nature. I guarantee that all of the Princes are good people!”

Jeonghan could agree with… Seokmin only, but Chan’s sparkling eyes made him sighed. “I understand you, of course you love people who love you too. If they’re showing you love it means you’re really important to them and someone who treasure other person can’t be bad.”

Wait. They’re showing him love?

Even those Princes who killed the main character?

If Jeonghan wasn’t wrong, he remembered cussing them for not having heart when he was reading the novel. Like, they were using other people constantly, all their live until they died at some point near the end. But-wait. The characters were different, somehow. Well, the names were definitely different, but their personalities were also somewhat different. Seungcheol actually cared about Chan, to the point he warned Chan himself, while this entire time Jeonghan thought he was just lazy-bored kind of guy; different from the novel which portray the First Prince as someone who was really hard headed and filled with determination to take over the throne. He didn’t look like that at all, didn’t feel like that at all. So, the Princes might different from what they seemed like in the novel?

Fuck, now Jeonghan really regret not knowing the exact storyline.

So, the Princes might have soft spot for little Chan, according to how Seungcheol act, how Vernon act as well. How they showed it just different. Maybe those Princes weren’t so bad at all; at least for now. They’re approximately 13 years old after all, most of the fight that Jeonghan remembered was when they were older like 17 years old or something. In this world 17 years old is the mature age, you are officially by yourself and of course that’s the legal age to take over the throne, that’s why in the novel they started to shed blood after the First Prince turned 17 years old.

“Oh, today we’re about to watch the Fencing Class,” Joshua told Chan. “Want to come as well?”

Chan smiled wide. “Of course!”

“With a condition,” Jeonghan butted in the conversation. Joshua raised his eyebrows. “Don’t go anywhere near the Flowers Tower anymore, okay.”

Jeonghan decided to keep his agenda straight, keeping this kid alive first. Though he didn’t know what will happen, but what Seungcheol just said would be considered as a white flag in a novel. Something real bad will definitely happen if Chan went there again.

Chan blinked his eyes and looked on the side. “Yes…” he answered softly.

“I know you’re lying,” Joshua tried to look at Chan in his eyes. Chan looked down.

“He is my only friend here and he is so pitiful. The King starved him and-“ Chan stopped talking and looked sadder than before.

“I understand that,” Jeonghan tried to persuade the young boy. “Still, going there by yourself is extremely dangerous, just like what the First Prince said; you might be killed this time.”

“I can take the Chamber on!” Chan said, louder than before. “I just don’t want to lose my friend!”

“That’s why I said I understand,” Jeonghan smiled and patted his head. “We’re in this together. I’ll bring food for him so you don’t go near the Flowers Tower again.”

Chan’s face brightened. “Really?”

Jeonghan nodded.

“As long as you’re safe, as long as you’re safe.”

*

Jeonghan clicked his tongue. Where’s the place again?

Why is he so shit at navigating places?

He kept on cursing inside his head while he tried to look for the Hall where Fencing Class was supposed to be held. It would be freaking easier if that little trouble Vernon wouldn’t be a weirdo and bring him to the Hall with him. But no, the guy decided to draw him a little map and asked him to find the Hall by himself and the map was fucking filled with weird shit like there was no specific explanation just a couple of black dots and a couple of rectangle. How should Jeonghan understand what that was?! And why is in this big ass castle there’s no one around!?

Jeonghan stopped walking and took a deep breath. He needed to calm down for a second, he panicked. He became extremely anxious because Joshua suddenly fell in the middle of his lesson, seemed like he was working too hard on his lessons. Not to mention the stress he had, it was honestly a miracle that he able to hold out this long. Maybe the good food helped his body. Well, Jeonghan felt better now that doctors came easily into the castle, Joshua really on the good hand. One rare thing that Jeonghan actually felt grateful for after a week here.

Jeonghan looked around, the next dot he gonna check was around here… He walked at the side of the hallway and tried to open the door- but the door opened from the other side. Jeonghan blinked when he saw a pair of beautiful light brown eyes looking at him.

“What?” he asked in deep voice. Jeonghan blinked again and jumped back. It was the First Prince’s study room!?

“S-sorry, I thought it was the Fencing Class, I-I was invited,” Jeonghan didn’t know what made him so nervous in front of him. He played with the paper Vernon gave him before nervously.

“Hm… Follow me,” he said without any other explanation and walked in front of Jeonghan. Jeonghan was too nervous to think or say anything so he just followed the First Prince. Jeonghan took a glance at his back. This person is so intimidating, he thought.

“Can I ask you a question?” Jeonghan tried to talk to him. Seungcheol didn’t answer him so Jeonghan assumed it was okay to ask. “Why are you able to control the air?”

After he asked the question, Seungcheol suddenly stopped walking. Jeonghan was so surprised he bumped to Seungcheol’s back. “Aw! Why are you suddenly stopped-“

Seungcheol turned around and looked at him with menacing aura. Jeonghan blinked at the sight.

“Don’t say anything to anyone, ever.”

“Why?” Jeonghan dared himself to ask more.

“Because I said don’t.”

“I don’t see the reason why I shouldn’t.”

Seungcheol frowned. He looked displeased. “You sure like to challenge death.”

The air surrounding Jeonghan suddenly became heavier-Jeonghan remembered this sensation of lacking air, but he refused to fall. He kept on standing on his feet even with the pressure. Jeonghan smirked.

“I’m… not… afraid of dying,” he said heavily. “I’m… curious… at what level… can your magic… do things?”

Jeonghan reached for Seungcheol’s collar and suddenly threw his body on Seungcheol with his last strength; the he pressed his lips on Seungcheol. Seungcheol was too surprised to react, so he only stood there like statue. Jeonghan took the air from Seungcheol’s mouth and after a split second he felt the air became lighter. Jeonghan released Seungcheol and took a deep breath. Jeonghan tried to take as much air as he could after he felt the air became normal.

“You are too uptight and bored, Seungcheol-nim,” Jeonghan smiled. “There’s a lot more in living that you should see. Don’t give up at everything when you’re just 13.”

Jeonghan could feel his heart beating faster, anxious about what Seungcheol’s reaction could be. He tried to analyse his reaction.

A few seconds, stood still like a statue.

“Seungcheol-nim…? Aren’t we supposed to go to the Hall…?” Jeonghan started to worry. Is kissing him somehow break a law or something?

After that suddenly Seungcheol’s face turned beet red and he closed his mouth with both of his hands. He looked at Jeonghan with surprised face; that was the most expressive Jeonghan saw from Seungcheol ever.

“What-you-you just-SHAMELESS!” he shouted and ran with flushed red face.

Jeonghan was left speechless.

What?

Who was that again?


	5. Between The Two of Them

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who is ready for some Junhao? ^^  
> And of course more Jeongcheol!   
> enjoyy!

Jeonghan ended up arriving late since Seungcheol just left him alone in the middle of hallway, and the confusing one not to add. He even crumpled his map from Vernon before because he thought he would be accompanied until the Hall, and there he was, wandering like a lost lamb in the middle of the castle. Never once in his life before he hated the fact that he is really shit at navigating more than this time. Who the fuck designed this castle? Why everything looked the same!? Good thing he met one of the maid; the one that used dark orange dress. The maid aided him until the Hall-thank God-and he finally arrived with a big sigh.

Jeonghan learnt something; maids also separated by different classes. Maids with dark green dresses were the lowest class and also the most in number and they mostly handle ground work. Garden, castle, they handled cleaning the hardest part on the Palace. Jeonghan remembered that the first day they were here the maids those helped them were the one in dark greens, and after their first Royal Banquet, they stopped going anywhere near the Princes room. Maids with dark orange dresses were the one in the middle class, they handled most of the task involving the Princes, Prime Ministers and outsider visitors or guests. Maids with dark red dresses were the highest class, the only maids those allowed to help the King. All the task involving the King only could be handled by them, while they could do other task involving other Royals Bloods as well.

“Oh, you arrived!” Soonyoung looked pleased when he saw Jeonghan at the door. Soonyoung was already in his fencing uniform, a white overall tight suit. Jeonghan showed a forced smiled and bowed.

“I guess I’m late,” he looked for Seungcheol. Seungcheol was also already in his fencing uniform, ready to do his class. He took a glance at Jeonghan but looked away after he realized Jeonghan’s presence. Jeonghan was pissed so he stared at Seungcheol obviously. “Someone left me by myself after promising to go with me after all.”

And yes, he spoke loudly on purpose.

The Hall that was used for the class wasn’t a small one, it was quite wide actually, even though it wasn’t anywhere as wide as the Royal Hall, yet Jeonghan’s voice was loud enough to reach the spectator on the other side of the Hall. Vernon smiled wide when he saw it and he whistle. Chan looked surprised at the sight, while Mingyu looking not happy stared at Soonyoung.

Jeonghan held himself from clicking his tongue and walked to the spectator’s side of the room, filled with fancy chairs-of course. He instinctively took a seat near Chan and Vernon shifted to his other side almost instantly. “What was that?” he asked enthusiastically, Jeonghan could see his eyes were sparkling. “Have some beef with the First Prince already?”

Jeonghan hissed. “Shut up, it’s your map’s fault.”

Vernon laughed hard. Chan looked more confused. “Wh-what’s happen? Are you guys fighting?”

Jeonghan sighed and smiled at the youngest Prince. “No, we are not. It’s just me sulking at that weirdo.”

Vernon almost falls from his chair laughing when he heard the sentence. “Weirdo he said! Ahahahaha! No one ever call Seungcheol-Hyungnim weirdo! Oh, you’re so fun!”

“Wow, that western kid is laughing and talking, what a rare scene,” another boy in fencing uniform approached Soonyoung. He was the shortest one of them all, even from the youngest Chan. “That’s the lost Prince?”

“You don’t know how interesting these new Princes are, Jihoon-ah,” Soonyoung grinned. “I feel like I finally have people I can play with.”

Lee Jihoon sighed when he saw Soonyoung’s face. “You’re enjoying yourself too much. Is Seungcheol-nim’s coldness finally made you snap?”

“Seungcheol-Hyungnim will always be the last boss,” Soonyoung used his mask. Jihoon rolled his eyes and used his mask too.

They started practicing and Jeonghan took the chance to take revenge. Whenever Seungcheol had one on one with everyone, Jeonghan would cheer to the other party; either Soonyoung or the other student, Lee Jihoon. The attendants of this class were First Prince Seungcheol, Third Prince Soonyoung and Lee Jihoon the son of Prime Minister of Foreign Relations of Han Kingdom, also the childhood friend of the Princes, especially close with Third Prince Soonyoung and also one of few people Sixth Prince Mingyu didn’t dare to glare at. Since they were at the same age he was quite close with Second Prince Junhui and Fourth Prince Wonwoo as well. He even cheered the instructor when they were on one on one lesson which made the instructor tried to hold his laugh while Vernon and Soonyoung dying with laughter.

“Jeong-Jeonghan-Hyungnim, I think it’s enough,” Chan tried to stop his brother.

“It’s only today, it will be fine,” Jeonghan tried to calm Chan down. Chan who wasn’t use to oppose his brothers only could held himself back and hoped Seungcheol wouldn’t be too mad later. Seungcheol on the other side, didn’t show any reaction and stayed expressionless. He still won every practice battle no matter what, he still nailed every lesson he was taught. At the last practice battle with Soonyoung, Seungcheol won again even though Soonyoung was trying his best. After the battle finished, Soonyoung smiled bitterly and shook Seungcheol’s hand.

“I will defeat you one day,” he said. Seungcheol didn’t say anything and only walked away. Jeonghan was already pissed and became angrier at how Seungcheol treated Soonyoung so he stood up and shout. “What’s wrong with you, why can you do everything other than being a normal good person!?”

The last comment from Jeonghan erased Soonyoung bitter smile and replaced it with laughter, followed by Vernon hysterical laugh and Mingyu trying to cover his chuckle with his hand. Jihoon was too surprised to actually respond but he tried to hide his laughter not long after while Chan looking more nervous than before. Seungcheol looked at Jeonghan and walked toward him.

Seungcheol’s sudden movement made the whole Hall suddenly went quiet. Jeonghan didn’t feel intimidated at all, he stared back at Seungcheol and folded his arms in front of his chest challenging. He was too pissed to care about anything. Seungcheol stopped right in front of him.

“What do you want from me?” Seungcheol asked with his deep tone.

“To talk,” Jeonghan grabbed him by his wrist and dragged him outside. Seungcheol didn’t even fight him and followed him outside, which made the whole Hall stared in disbelief; that Seungcheol was being dragged by other person! While Seungcheol was probably the only one who stood a chance to defy the King, the most charismatic and strongest both physically and magically. Now he dragged out by a newbie Prince that just came a week ago to the castle.

Jeonghan dragged him outside and tried to find the safest place to talk. After he found a room that looked empty he dragged Seungcheol inside and closed the door. “Okay,” he took a chair and sat on it.

“You sit too,” he pointed at one of the chair. Seungcheol didn’t say anything and sat down as Jeonghan asked.

“Hear me out, I don’t like that cocky attitude of yours, but I also know that I’m also wrong here, so I’m sorry,” Jeonghan started first. Seungcheol stared at him. “I’m sorry for picking you but you started it. Don’t just leave me alone, I don’t know my way!”

“You deserve it,” Seungcheol said shortly. Jeonghan was in disbelief by his boy’s arrogance but he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He was born as a Prince, of course this boy didn’t know how to be humble. He killed spies when he was eight, what did you expect, Yoon Jeonghan?

“Look, I’m sorry for kissing you, okay. It’s grossing you out, right? I’m sorry,” Jeonghan tried another approach. Seungcheol’s face suddenly flushed when he heard the sentence. Jeonghan caught that and frowned.

“Wait, I’m sorry if I’m wrong, but don’t tell me it was your first kiss-?” Jeonghan tilted his head, almost didn’t believe his own words. Seungcheol blinked, surprised, and looked at him. He opened his mouth about to get mad but then he held himself back and closed his mouth.

“It’s not important,” he said in low voice. Jeonghan blinked and laughed. Seungcheol looked mad when he heard Jeonghan laugh. He about to shout something to Jeonghan but suddenly Jeonghan stood up and pulled him on a hug. Seungcheol’s anger changed into confusion… and something else. He was too surprised to react so he just stayed in Jeonghan’s arms.

“You’re purer than what I think!” Jeonghan sounded happy when he heard that. “I thought people in Palace would be dirtier than this. Well, you’re thirteen but your King slept with a lot of children so… Well!” Jeonghan separated from Seungcheol and smiled.

“You are definitely different from what I read!”

Seungcheol frowned, still flushing red but confused. “Wh-what do you mean by that?”

“I mean I’m sorry for thinking of you as a bad person!” Jeonghan patted him on his shoulder. He should thank Chan later. Jeonghan realized how different Seungcheol’s character between the novel he read and the one he faced now; that’s the main reason now he believed that this world might have the same storyline with the one he read, but how the story going could be really different. Kissing between the main character and the First Prince never happen in the book, so Jeonghan assumed it would be the death of him, while at the end it was just Seungcheol being embarrassed and awkward because it was his first kiss.

Jeonghan walked to the door with lightened heart, now he could be sure that the storyline could be changed. Chan might be saved. He might be able to go back to the orphanage with Joshua.

“Ah, it’s also my first kiss, so let’s call it even!” Jeonghan waved and walked out the door. Seungcheol left alone in the room, filled with questions and a lot of new feelings inside his chest that he never knew before.

*

“Are you serious? With that First Prince? You’re so reckless!” Joshua looked angry.

“I’m sorry, but it’s all well now, okay. I said sorry to him and he doesn’t seem to be angry anymore. And don’t tell anyone about him manipulating air, I think it’s kind of secret,” Jeonghan ended his story time with Joshua. Joshua looked like he was about to nag again but he gave up and sigh.

“I shouldn’t be sick like this, what am I doing…” he ended up getting irritated to himself. Jeonghan looked at him. “Come on don’t say that, it’s fine, okay. I know you will always get my back no matter what that’s why I can do whatever I do.”

Jeonghan walked to the other bed 7 feet apart from Joshua’s bed and threw himself on the bed. After their first night in the castle Joshua took the liberty as a Prince and asked their room to be put together and they ended up giving the room another bed. “I need to keep my promise to Chan and give that Flower kid his food… what’s his name again…”

“Minghao,” Joshua reminded him. “Ah yeah, that kid.”

Jeonghan rose up and sat on his bed while looking at Joshua. “I’m a little bit interested in this kid as well. It seemed like he was really liked by the King and somehow he sounded really smart.”

“Be careful, okay. It’s been a long day for you,” Joshua sounded worried.

“It’s long for you too, you’re fighting your decease while I’m fighting our value in life,” Jeonghan grinned. Joshua chuckled. “Sure.”

A knock on the door made them stopped talking. “H-Hyungnim, it’s me, Chan.”

“Aah, come in!” Jeonghan answerd. Chan walked in with his sleeping wear, light green silk based pyjama, his hand carrying a brown leather bag. He walked into the room shyly but his face got brighter when he saw those two.

“I came…” he announced the certain and walked into the room. Jeonghan patted a space beside his bed. “Sit here.”

Chan was surprised by the invitation but he sat on the space Jeonghan gave to him. “Ho-How’s Joshua-Hyungnim’s condition?” he asked, worriedly. Joshua smiled.

“It’s nothing, I’ve been in worse condition. The doctor is really great, I feel better already,” he said with calming tone. Chan looked relieved. He looked at Jeonghan nervously and played with the leather bag he brought.

“Um.. about the food… I bring it,” Chan said first. Jeonghan nodded.

“Okay, thanks,” he took the leather bag. Chan’s eyes followed the leather bag as Jeonghan took it and played with his fingers later.

“Hyungnim, like I thought, I can bring it by myself. You even have trouble to navigate the Hall before,” Chan was about to take the bag back but Jeonghan hide it with his hand and clicked his tongue.

“I already said that I will bring it to him, don’t make me a bad gentleman by taking back my words,” Jeonghan smiled. “I will be fine. I made a quick trip to library in the Tower before so kinda know my way there.”

“Um.. from the Library you just need to walk a little further and take the rotate stairs to the next floor. The room is right by the stair, at your left.”

Jeonghan nodded. “Sounds simple, I don’t think there will be any problem.”

Chan smiled and held Jeonghan’s hands. “Thank you so much, Hyungnim.”

Jeonghan felt warm inside his chest. “It’s fine, that’s what a hyung should do. You are my little brother after all.”

Chan looked happy with the sentence.

“Now help me and take care of Joshua while I’m gone,” Jeonghan jumped from the bed and stood up. He used a semi-formal clothes, white shirt and black long pants. He took a lantern and lit it up.

“Don’t be reckless,” Joshua warned him.

“I’ll be fine,” Jeonghan grinned. “Handsome boy is off to go!”

Jeonghan walked in the hallway while admiring the moon by the stone window. Even though they had a lot of maids and guards, most of them spent time outside of the castle. Only a few stayed in the castle, and most of them had a designed spot to stay so most of the time Jeonghan didn’t really bump to other people. He knew the guard patrol time and maids designed time to help with Prince’s needs, it wasn’t that hard for him to avoid other people on his way there. The Palace was totally different from what he imagined before, he imagined it to be a ruthless place where you couldn’t even breath because of the pressure, but it wasn’t like that. Well, it’s still ruthless but it wasn’t like that. The King was more… didn’t care. He spent most times attending meetings or doing who knows what with the Flowers; which only made Jeonghan wanted to curse him to be impotent.

Jeonghan finally arrived at the hallway to the Flowers Tower. He took a deep breath and walked to the Tower tensely. Even though he acted tough before, he was actually nervous here. He knew that he basically could do anything because he was a Prince, but this involved one of King’s favourite Flowers that even the First Prince asked to not get involved with. Jeonghan shook his head. Focus. It’s fine, you know something will happen, so it’s better because you already prepared yourself.

Jeonghan knew his life now was more like a novel than a regular life, so he expected something to happen every second. He was aware with this fact since Seungcheol found him and Joshua in the orphanage a week ago. Now with Seungcheol warned them about the Flowers Tower and the kiss that happened before, he was sure that something would definitely happen here. If Chan went by himself, he definitely would get busted and get another punishment that might be harsher than before. It could be the reason for his death and Jeonghan didn’t want to wait for that to happen. He kind of curious about what will happen to since it wasn’t Chan, it was him this time. He might get punishment too, or something else.

Jeonghan finally arrived at the stairs that Chan talked about before and took a step up. The stairs weren’t that much but Jeonghan felt like there were no ends to them. Jeonghan sighed when he finally saw the end of the stairs. He looked at his left, there was a door there. He was about to open the door when he heard a person talking inside. Jeonghan frowned hard. Is he talking to himself? Did being sick made him crazy?

Jeonghan pressed his ears to the door, tried to listen the conversation inside.

“…stop being like this,” an unknown voice talk. The voice sounded foreign, it seemed like his mother language wasn’t this country’s language. He had a quite high pitched voice and the tone made it sounded like he was singing. Well, from the name Xu Minghao was definitely not from this country.

“You know I can’t,” the other voice talked back. It sounded gentle and warm. Jeonghan frowned at the voice. He knew the voice, he definitely heard that voice before. But who?

“You will only make the King angry,” the high pitched voice-that Jeonghan believed was Minghao due to his accent-talked back. “You know he can kill you any time he wants.”

“I don’t care about that,” the gentle voice answered back, sternly.

“I care!” Minghao raised his voice a little. “Don’t do this, just go!”

“I prefer death if that’s the case!”

“You-“

“Hey, Yoon Jeonghan!” a deep voice made Jeonghan jumped back and screamed.

“What the!” he covered his mouth with the hand that carried the bag and blinked at the person who just made his heart jumped out of his mouth. Seungcheol stood there with his hair all down, not combed back neatly like always. He frowned at the boy.

“What are you doing here!?” he asked angrily.

“I-uh,” Jeonghan tried to find a reason to his action. What could justify him eavesdropping in front of someone else’s room? Nothing. It would be a thousand times easier to explain porn.

Suddenly the door opened and someone dragged them inside the room. Both Jeonghan and Seungcheol were surprised but their mouths immediately covered by someone’s hand. Jeonghan blinked when he saw the taller boy that just dragged them in. Second Prince Junhui!

“Don’t talk, a guard will come in no time,” he warned them before releasing them. Seungcheol frowned at him while Junhui looked away, didn’t care.

“Uh-hi! Sorry to interrupt but Chan is really worried about you and wanted to give you this,” Jeonghan tried to complete his mission and walked to a single bed at the other side of the room, near the window. He looked at the boy who sat on the bed, a boy with fine jawline and soft features on his face. His hair was quite long and he looked tired, yet he still looked charming.

“It’s nice to meet you, Your Highness Ninth Prince,” Minghao bowed politely. Jeonghan could see how beautiful this kid was.

“No-uh I mean, nice to meet you too,” Jeonghan nodded at him.

“Didn’t I say to stop coming here?” Seungcheol’s voice suddenly made the whole room turned colder than before.

“Didn’t I say that I don’t want to?” Junhui stared back at him. Jeonghan was surprised that someone actually talked back to Seungcheol other than him, not to add it was the Second Prince Junhui who was so gentle and warm. Jeonghan didn’t know that Junhui could make such a cold face.

“Do you want to get killed?” Seungcheol said it with pressure, making Jeonghan felt a little bit of chill.

“I don’t mind dying,” Junhui said, stern.

“Stop it!” Minghao cut him. “I never ask for that. Please just go, Your Highness.”

“Even the kid himself is asking you to go. He won’t go anywhere, why are you like this!?” Seungcheol asked him. Seungcheol didn’t raise his voice but his tone becoming more and more threatening.

Junhui didn’t say anything and walked to the bed. Jeonghan couldn’t say anything so he just stood there in silence. Junhui sat on the side of the bed and held Minghao’s pale hand with his own hand and looked into his eyes. “I know you’re worried about me. But to just give in someone I love in front of my eyes to a dirty old man is making me want to die, so it’s better to just die protecting him.”

Jeonghan blinked at the sight.

What?

Wait, what?

Okay, he kinda expected it was this, but he didn’t expect to hear it by person like this!

Minghao looked at Junhui back. Jeonghan couldn’t explain it, but Minghao looked like he was about to cry, yet his eyes were strong. How that small and skinny body could look so strong? “I better to lose myself if that’s the cost.”

Seungcheol clicked his tongue. “He won’t touch him.”

Junhui looked at Seungcheol with challenging eyes. “What do you mean by that?”

“A Flower died.”

The whole room filled with heavy air even though there was no one talking. Minghao was the first one to react.

“Wha…t?” Jeonghan saw Minghao squeezed Junhui’s hand harder. “Wh-who…”

“I don’t know the name. It looks like he was fifteen or so. He died about a few days ago. It’s not known widely, only a few people knew,” Seungcheol explained. “He made a new rule for the Flowers. He won’t have sex with them before they turn 17.”

Jeonghan covered his mouth to hold himself from throwing up.

“He won’t take the kid so hurry up and go back to your sense,” Seungcheol glared at Junhui. “Killing you is no big deal for him. His detention, or bed rest, whatever, will be over in a few days and you willing to die without any good reason?”

“Why do you care so much? Whether I’m alive or die it’s not really your business, isn’t it? It’s not like you’re fond of me or anything,” Junhui spat that in front of Seungcheol. Jeonghan was surprised but he was more surprised that Seungcheol looked hurt because of what someone said for once.

“That’s right, it’s not like I fond of you or anything,” Seungcheol glared at him. “But you’re a human being and killing someone just because you don’t like them is something that I will never approve. No one can act like that. Not even God.”

Seungcheol walked outside after that, not saying anything else. Jeonghan felt the urge to talk to him so he was about to follow Seungcheol but he decided to said something before leaving. “I understand your worries and where you stand, and I honestly think that it’s admirable for you to think and act like that, Second Prince Junhui. But don’t be a dick and just spat things like that, he was really hurt, you know.”

Jeonghan followed Seungcheol in a second. Both Junhui and Minghao could hear their steps away from the room. Junhui was thinking for a while but then he felt Minghao’s hand shaking and his attention shifted completely to the boy. He saw a drip of tear ran down through his cheek to the blanket, made a wet circle spot. “So to make him stop doing that immoral thing we need someone to die first? Not even after the tears and begs?”

Minghao looked at Junhui with teary eyes. “Can’t we live like a normal human being?”

Junhui heart broke when he heard what Minghao said and pulled him into a hug. Junhui couldn’t say anything so he just hugged him in silence and Minghao silently shaking in his embrace. Minghao secretly prayed inside his heart.

_Please, let me be for this one time._

_Please let me to pretend that it’s okay to love him, this one time._

*

“Seungcheol-nim! Seungcheol-ssi! Hey, Seungcheol-ah!” Jeonghan tried his best to follow Seungcheol. That boy had a great stamina and athletic as well, how unfair! Jeonghan speeded up a little to catch the First Prince up. He finally caught the Prince and held him by his wrist.

“Stop! Oh my, I almost throw up, you ran too fast!” Jeonghan complained. Seungcheol looked at Jeonghan’s hand on his wrist. “Release me.”

“No, you need to hear me out first,” Jeonghan huffed. He looked into Seungcheol eyes. “Junhui-nim is like that because he couldn’t control his feeling. Being in love can make someone completely lose their mind you know. Well, technically he is just twelve so I’m also curious how deep that ‘love’ thing is,” Jeonghan looked like he was thinking.

“But when you have something you want to protect, sometimes you go crazy over that, that’s what being a man is all about, right?” Jeonghan grinned. “Please understand him a little, don’t be mad for too long.”

“It’s not my concern,” Seungcheol looked angry even though his tone didn’t change from his usual tone. “I don’t care about what he does or what he wants. I just don’t like to see people die on that person’s hand.”

Jeonghan kind of understand Seungcheol character now. He sighed and smiled. “That’s hard to be a person like that, Seungcheol-nim.”

“What do you mean?”

“To say what you don’t mean all the time.”

“I don’t-“ Seungcheol was about to lose his temper when suddenly Jeonghan warped him into a hug. The entire speech Seungcheol was about to say disappeared from his mind and his whole body froze.

“You care about him that’s why you are mad he is not listening to your advice. You care about them that’s why you tell them about the new rule and try to make Junhui-nim realize that it’s nonsense to keep on challenging the King when the problem is actually already done, you don’t understand why Junhui-nim can’t just be patient for a few more days. I understand your anger, but I also understand why he insisted to come to Minghao-ssi. It’s just like that when you care about the other person, Seungcheol-nim. Please understand them a little,” Jeonghan released him and smiled. “Are you feeling better now?”

Jeonghan couldn’t see Seungcheol’s face clearly because the hallway’s only lighting was moonlight from the window and a couple of torches on the wall and the lantern that Jeonghan brought with him, but it seemed like he wasn’t that angry anymore. He stared into Jeonghan’s eyes for a while, making Jeonghan finally conscious that there were only the two of them there and Jeonghan just hugged the First Prince whom he just kissed a few hours before. What a nice day it was. Jeonghan finally got awkward because of the tension so he tried to go.

“We-well, it’s already this late, I need to sleep. Joshua needs me, so I will go first. See you tomorrow, Seungcheol-nim,” Jeonghan bowed and turned around, walked away from Seungcheol with fast pace, leaving the First Prince alone on the hallway. Jeonghan almost ran to his room, opened the door as quick as he could and closed it as if someone was chasing him.

“What-what’s wrong, Jeonghan-Hyungnim? Did the guard catch you?” Chan’s voice sounded worried. He stood up and walked to his brother who was still in front of the door. Jeonghan looked at him and hurriedly got rid of his nervousness.

“No, of course not!” Jeonghan smiled wide.

“Then why are you such in a hurry?” Joshua looked at Jeonghan suspicious attitude.

“I just partway with the First Prince, I dunno, things just a little bit awkward between us,” Jeonghan shrugged off the topic, tried to not explain what just happened, because now he wasn’t there anymore, he finally realized how embarrassing his action was.

“By the way! Second Prince Junhui-nim was in the room when I arrived there!” Jeonghan decided to tell them the big story.

“Second Prince Junhui? Why?” Joshua looked confused. Jeonghan held Chan’s hand and sat him on his bed while sitting beside him.

“You should tell us first, Chan-ah. What is the relationship between Second Prince Junhui and Xu Minghao?” Jeonghan asked Chan seriously. Joshua caught up the story with the question but he waited for Chan’s answer. Chan looked nervous and he played with his fingers a lot but finally he decided to open his mouth.

“I won’t say they’re sweetheart or anything, but Junghui-Hyungnim definitely loves Minghao-nim a lot,” Chan looked nervous when he said that. “Minghao-nim kept on rejecting him, though. It’s not like he doesn’t like Junhui-Hyungnim, in my opinion, he just trying to keep Junhui-Hyungnim away from the King since the King favour Minghao-nim a lot.”

“And why is he on that bed again? What’s happen before me and Joshua arrived at the castle?” Jeonghan asked again.

“The King… heard about the rumour and… he started to show Minghao-nim a lot, to show that Minghao-nim belonged to him. It anger Junhui-Hyungnim and he was about to go to the King himself, but then Seungcheol-Hyungnim and Soonyoung-Hyungnim stopped him. Even though he didn’t reach the King’s Room, the King knew about this and sent him to the Chamber for a few days. After that, Minghao-nim felt guilty so he injured himself so the King couldn’t bring him anywhere again. It was a good idea but the King knew, I think, that’s why he ordered that Minghao-nim should starve until he got better. Junhui-Hyungnim just got out from the Chamber when this happened and he was so angry, but he held himself back for Minghao-nim. That’s why I feel sorry for both of them,” Chan completed the story.

Jeonghan and Joshua looked at each other with disbelief. What are these kids experiencing inside this castle!? It’s not even a Palace, it’s a hell!

“Okay, I will tell you what just happen,” Jeonghan told them the whole story about what just happened, excluding the hug and how he tried to catch up to Seungcheol.

“That’s crazy,” Joshua looked angry. “He slept with kids!?”

“Be-before, I know that some kids younger than 10 wouldn’t be touch but I don’t know about the rest,” Chan was shaking when he said that.

“You don’t need to know, or even think about that, Chan-ah, forget it, it’s not your responsibility to help or to do anything at all,” Jeonghan covered Chan’s ears with his hands and smiled. “Your hyungs will do something so you don’t need to be worried!”

“B-but what..?” Chan asked.

“I don’t know yet, and probably won’t happen anytime soon, but we definitely will do something,” Jeonghan looked at Joshua. Joshua looked back at him and nodded. They knew what in each other’s mind.

The situation was a lot worse than what they were expecting before.

It wouldn’t be just a normal play, it wasn’t even a play anymore at this point. That person actually killed people easily and sat on piles of corpses, without feeling guilty. Jeonghan and Joshua both were very sensitive toward children because they lived in orphanage, and hearing how the children just tortured here was not a good story at all.

Jeonghan sent Chan back to his room and finally walked back to his room, finding Joshua was busy thinking while staring into the fire place. Jeonghan sighed and sat on his bed.

“The situation is a lot worse than what we expected it to be, Shua-ya.”

“Yes. I don’t know if I can just leave after knowing all of this,” Joshua blinked. “And now I’m in bad condition myself, I’m starting to think that doing something is a lot better than running away after all, Jeonghan-ah.”

Joshua looked at Jeonghan. “These kids are younger than us yet they’re struggling a whole lot, Jeonghan-ah.”

“Some of them twisted, some of them are hurt, some of them are lonely,” Jeonghan remembered the Princes and Minghao. The children those walked into the Banquet Hall with maroon cloak at his first day in the Palace.

“Our lives might be hard but we were happy,” Jeonghan looked at Joshua. “It’s the first time ever I feel like I’m so lucky to have my life. At least the first thirteen years of my life in this world was amazing, if I should compare myself to people who lived here.”

Joshua chuckled when he heard that. “You sounded so old saying that.”

Not exactly old since he died when he was sixteen in his past life, but he definitely understand the word regret more than anything. “Shua-ya… Do you want to stay here for a while?”

Joshua smiled at Jeonghan.

“We’re just connected. You read my mind.”


	6. Sudden Chaos

“Birthday Ball?” Jeonghan frowned. “What is that?”

“It’s a formal party. To celebrate Seokmin-goon and Vernon-goon’s birthday,” Joshua explained. Jeonghan was letting out a small ‘oh’. Joshua’s line of information seemed to work better than Jeonghan these past weeks in the Palace.

“I heard we will be introduced formally as Princes that day too,” Joshua added. Jeonghan immediately stopped everything he did and looked at Joshua. Joshua looked serious.

“After this, we are tied up to the Palace, whether we like it or not. As Ninth and Tenth Prince from Han Kingdom,” Joshua made it clear. “There wouldn’t be any way out again.”

They talked about it a few days ago the night when Jeonghan sneaked into Minghao’s room, but they didn’t really talk about it again because of Joshua’s health dropped again for a while before recovering this morning. In the middle of thinking, Jeonghan remembered the face of the children, of Sisters and Father in the orphanage. Jeonghan slowly shifted his gaze to the window, at the sky outside and then he stood up.

“Let’s visit the orphanage first.”

*

“Sister Dambi! Manse is crying again!” a girl with tan skin tugged Dambi’s shirt. Dambi smiled and patted her head. “Will you be a good kid and help me to play with Manse? I need to cook for lunch.”

The girl smiled and nodded. “Of course! I’m the noona so I can do that!” she ran happily.

Dambi huffed and looked at the pot. It’s been two weeks after Jeonghan and Joshua’s sudden summon to the Palace. The whole town talked about it, didn’t know what it was about, but apparently some guards let out the gossip about two lost Princes in the town so they kinda guess. The Sisters and Priest in the church who were the only people who knew the truth didn’t really spill anything out to the town. They prayed every single day for Jeonghan and Joshua’s health and well-being, asking for God to always be with them and safe them from any evil thing.

“Sister Dambi, good afternoon,” an old lady greeted from a far. Dambi who was about to take the woods for the furnace looked at the old lady.

“Good afternoon!” she smiled warmly. “What brings you here?”

“I want to give you guys this pumpkin,” the old lady walked into the church area with a big black plastic bag with a couple of pumpkins inside. Dambi took the bag and peaked inside.

“Oh my! It’s so much!” Dambi looked surprised.

“It’s fine, I’m only with my husband, we old people don’t eat that much. It’s hard after Jeonghan and Joshua went, right? Both of them are really diligent kids,” the old lady sighed. Dambi only smiled since she didn’t know what to say.

“Oh, I need to go now. See you later, Sister!” the old lady walked outside of the church area. Dambi waved her hand. “Be careful on your way!”

Dambi watched the old lady walked away and sighed. She looked at the pumpkins and some memories went through her mind. Joshua usually helped her a lot with tidying up the kitchen while Jeonghan busy running through the town, helping people left and right. The two of them were the oldest in the orphanage and they acted like older brothers as well. Even though they were just 13, they took their responsibility seriously and acted maturely for their age. Dambi felt like she was actually spoiled by those two’s maturity, now she handled most of the thing by herself, Sister Nana and Father, it’s a lot harder than before.

Dambi felt her eyes became teary and she wiped her eyes with the back of her cloth.

“It’s no time to be sad! Come on!” Dambi said to herself. She looked at the castle that was far away from the church. “Are you guys okay? Did you eat?”

“Not yet.”

“What?! You need to eat it’s almost-wait… What?” Dambi late respond made the two boys laughed.

“Miss you too, Sister Dambi!” Jeonghan waved his hand and Joshua chuckled. They used an old leather cloak and hide their head with hoods. Dambi immediately dragged the two of them inside the church and lock the door.

“How are you-why can you-I-you…” Dambi’s voice was trembling and her sentences weren’t complete but her eyes conveyed how much she was relieved. She hugged the two of them and cried on Jeonghan’s shoulder. Jeonghan couldn’t help but got teary as well while Joshua chuckled and patted Dambi on her shoulder.

“We’re healthy and we’re fine, don’t cry, Sister Dambi,” Joshua tried to calm her down.

“IT’S JEONGHAN-OPPA AND SHUA-OPPA!” a little girl shouted and ran toward them, joining the hug inside their narrow kitchen. Eventually the children followed them and joined the hug with little space, making them couldn’t move at all. Nana who was cleaning ran when she heard the commotion and cried at the sight of the two older brother of their orphanage. Nana asked a kid to tell the Priest that those two were back so the kid ran to the church building.

“You’re back home,” Father smiled warmly when he saw the sight of their kitchen filled with children and the two older brothers were in the middle of the commotion while Dambi trying hard to make the children stop pushing each other.

“We’re home, Father,” Jeonghan felt like his chest was aching when he said that.

Yes, for him this is his home.

This is their home.

Jeonghan never feel something like this, in his past life. Now he has a place he calls home. People he calls family.

Jeonghan clenched his fist.

He decided.

*

“So you two sneaked out of the Palace!?” Dambi’s eyes almost popped out from her skull. “Are you out of your mind!? Do you want to die!?”

“It’s fine, we know the curfew, and today is supposed to be our free day,” Joshua explained.

After the touching-yet-narrow-hug-with-everyone the children ate and they went for their afternoon nap while Joshua and Jeonghan ate with the Sisters and Father.

“How are you guys doing? Did they treat you right?” Nana asked, worriedly.

“We’re fine, we eat well and we have tons of lessons too. When Joshua needs the doctor, they came right away,” Jeonghan tried to rest assure them.

“How’s the King?” Father asked. Jeonghan and Joshua looked at each other.

“Horrible,” Jeonghan was the one who opened his mouth first. “I don’t know if he a human being or a kind of devil.”

“Yoon Jeonghan,” Dambi warned Jeonghan for his language but Jeonghan stared at her.

“Sister, he slept with a child and it made him sick to the point he died!” Jeonghan took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. “I’ve seen too much to unseen it.”

“That place is definitely not a good place,” Joshua added. “But they’re struggling there.”

“What’s your plan now?” Father asked calmly. Dambi and Nana tensed up when the question came up. Jeonghan and Joshua looked at each other.

“In 18th of February there will be a Birthday Party for two of the Princes, Fifth Prince and Seventh Prince. We will be announced as the Ninth and Tenth Prince formally at that party,” Joshua explained. “Our plan was to escape from the castle before that happens.”

“But it changed,” Father interrupted. Jeonghan looked at him and smiled.

“Yes. It changed. We decided to accept the title.”

Dambi and Nana looked at each other. “Your life wouldn’t be easy there.”

“It’s never easy anywhere,” Jeonghan smiled. “But yet, I have home here. I have my family and I have my siblings. While they don’t have anyone there,” Jeonghan remembered how lonely Junhui looked like and how sad Minghao’s condition was.

“It might be stupid but Shua and I think we can try to success one of the Prince,” Jeonghan started to explain their plan. The last plan they made that might work for everyone.

“The one that might can be a good King. A lot of the Princes are good kids, they just didn’t know how to love someone and how to receive love,” Jeonghan reminded by how Seungcheol reacted to his hug. “Seungcheol-nim is just a little bit awkward and inexperienced.”

“Wow, now you’re playing favourite?” Joshua raised one of his eyebrows.

“It’s not like that, but he is the one with the biggest potential to be King,” Jeonghan tried to explain himself. In the novel he read the First Prince was the one who won the throne after all. He just needed to make himself out from there alive. Well, at least Joshua.

“Well, it’s not like you’re wrong,” Joshua shrugged. “I like Chan better, though.”

“Chan is too kind, he can’t handle it,” Jeonghan rejected the idea. “I don’t want to see him break in the middle of the fight, he won’t be able to handle the pressure.”

“This conversation is too dangerous for me,” Nana shook her head. “My children are talking about taking over the throne… am I dreaming?”

The whole table chuckled.

“We will always support you no matter what,” Father held Jeonghan and Joshua’s hands. “Just be careful. You always have home here.”

“Yes, Father!” both of them smiled widely.

Dambi looked disagreeing. “It’s too dangerous, why should you do it? It can be other people!”

Jeonghan held Dambi’s hand. “Because only us know what it’s feels like to have someone like you to worry about us. That cold place doesn’t offer much love.”

“We promise we will be okay. We will be with each other no matter what and we won’t let something happen to one of us,” Joshua tried to make her believe them. Dambi sighed and looked at them. “I know you guys are mature and smart enough to understand what to do, but it’s not that easy. The King is ruthless and he can do anything he wants, even killing his own Blood.”

“I know. A lot of the Princes were punished to the point they almost die,” Jeonghan said. “We will do our best to keep low profile.”

“I doubt that, Yoon Jeonghan, who picked a fight with the First Prince, the one that actually might be the next King!” Joshua spilled Jeonghan’s deeds.

“What!?” Dambi looked angry.

“Nooo, it’s not like that! Now we’re in good relationship, I swear!” Jeonghan raised his hand and made a peace sign.

“Stop picking on him then,” Joshua still teased Jeonghan. Jeonghan clicked his tongue.

“I won’t! Stop being so prickly, I said sorry already!”

*

“Junhui-nim? What are you doing here?” Joshua asked when he saw the boy at horse stable nearby the main castle. Joshua and Jeonghan got back after sneaking out to the church. Jeonghan went to the library to find some materials for his next lesson tomorrow while Joshua was trying to take a walk at the garden since he was cooped in his room for a few days after his condition got worse because of exhaustion. Joshua be friended a lot of maids in the castle so they saw him on the garden, most of them greeted him kindly. Looking at how friendly Joshua was with the maids, Junhui smiled at him.

“A subtle punishment I guess,” Junhui said lightly. “What are you doing here, Tenth Prince-nim?”

“I’m taking a stroll because I was cooped in my room for a few days,” Joshua explained. He walked to the stable and patted one of the horse’s head as he arrived.

“I heard you were sick. I hope your condition is better now.”

“I am all better. Jeonghan-ah tended to exaggerate a bit when it’s involving my health,” Joshua smiled. “You know, when you care about someone so much you just become that kind of person.”

Junhui smiled with a sigh. “Did you just subtly pique on me?”

“What makes you said so? I’m not, I’m not! I’m just saying, since Jeonghannie wouldn’t shut up about how he admires your tenacity!” Joshua smiled warmly. “A kind hearted person who loves other person, I know that kind of person as well, so that’s why I’m saying this. Sometimes you think about other people too much you forget that they also think about you a lot.”

“Is that a personal experience?” Junhui raised his eyebrows.

“It might be,” Joshua stroked the horse’s head. “Are you feeding them? I’ll help you.”

Junhui was always been gentle and kind, but people outside didn’t really interact with Royals, especially the lower class maids and guards, that’s why even though it wasn’t the first time Junhui or the other Princes were sent to the stable, almost none of them interact with other people. Junhui sometimes greeted them but they subtly avoided from him so he stopped trying to make conversation with them. No one wanted to have anything to do with the Royals, it wasn’t that weird.

But people liked Joshua out here, mostly the maids, but you know.

Joshua greeted all the maids that he knew and even some of the unknown ones were still greeted him kindly. It was something new for Junhui, especially seeing Royals being so kind to lowest class of maids in the castle.

“Tenth Prince, what are you doing here?” one of a maid in dark green that was older than them for a few years asked. She was young and looking cheerful. She was one of the maids that also helped Jeonghan and Joshua at their first day here, the only day that green maids actually assigned to help Princes. After that they never set a foot anywhere nearby the Princes room, but Joshua actively trying to find them to say his thanks and eventually ‘the kind hearted Ninth and Tenth Princes’ were quite popular within green maids. ‘They lived in the town that’s why they’re so humble’ was the main topic of their gossip these days.

“Playing with the horses with my brother,” he smiled widely as he fed the horses. A couple of maids chuckled.

“Doesn’t look like playing for me,” an old guard joined the conversation.

“Come on, we are having dinner together,” Joshua’s joke apparently was in the same wavelength as the guards and maids since they all laughed. Junhui laughed with them. A couple of guards helped them to feed the horses as well, they talked with each other a little bit. Junhui never really talk with people outside of the castle, but it was fun.

It might be the first day ever he felt so relaxed after his beef with the King a few weeks ago.

“Thank you for helping me,” Junhui thanked Joshua as they walked to the castle.

“There’s no need to be so formal, it’s normal to help your brother out sometimes. And the guards and maids are really fun to talk to, I’m having fun as well thanks to you,” Joshua smiled at him. Junhui smiled back.

“It’s been so long since the last time I see someone like you,” he started the talk. “I think I’m in the castle for too long.”

“You’re still twelve what are you talking about,” Joshua chuckled lightly. “You’ve been in the castle since you are young, of course you don’t know how vast this world is. You learn about people yet you don’t meet them, what a logic.”

Junhui stunned for a second. “Yeah, you’re right, I guess.”

“Of course I’m right!” Joshua chuckled again. “Your life is still long, that kid’s life is still long way to go. Fight your way out instead of getting in useless fights from now on, okay.”

“There’s nothing you don’t share with Ninth Prince, huh,” Junhui almost didn’t believe his sarcastic laugh he just made.

“Of course, we’re in this together, we need to share thoughts and information we have,” Joshua said that lightly. “Or it’s out of habit, since we’re together for more than a decade.”

“How nice to have someone like that,” Junhui s stared at his own feet as he walked.

“Aren’t you also raised together in this castle?” Joshua asked. Junhui smiled bitterly.

“It’s nothing like that. We didn’t really ‘raised together’, it’s more like ‘live in the same roof together’. Maybe you knew about this already but all of our mothers are different,” Junhui started his story. Joshua nodded. He didn’t hear it from anyone but he kinda guess that from how different all of them looked.

“Seungcheol-Hyungnim’s mother was the only one from the Royal family as well, she was one of the cousins from our King’s mother side. It seemed like she was not strong enough to live that long because of the abnormal amount of magic in her body. I heard that the prophecy said that the King should have child from the woman’s womb so with her weak condition she gave birth to Seungcheol-Hyungnim. Other than her, our mothers were former Flowers,” Junhui clenched his fist. “Most of them died because of young birth, including my mother.”

Joshua was lost for words.

“Flowers aren’t only taken from nowhere, even though most of them were taken from the street because of their looks, but a lot of them were part of Nobleman as well. All of children those were born outside from Nobleman blood were erased from the world because they ‘didn’t deserve the Prince Title’, he said. Eight of us were the only ones who survived because of our mother’s blood, including the two of you so ten of us were the lucky ones I guess.”

Joshua clenched his fist. That was why.

That was the reason why his mother ran away from the King.

“Soonyoung and Wonwoo mothers died when they were born so we didn’t really know that much about them, apparently their mothers were friends since childhood and both of them chosen as Flowers in their teens. They got pregnant at the same year and both died after giving birth. Seokmin’s mother was one of a Lord’s daughter that was chosen way too young. She managed to hold on until Seokmin was five or six years old, but she was died after bearing another child. Both of them died. Mingyu’s mother held out until Mingyu was three. She was really close with Soonyoung as well, she acted as Soonyoung’s mother as long she was alive. Chan’s mother was the one that actually probably the only one that was a little bit older than our mothers, she was really cheerful and kind. When she was pregnant with Chan she was really kind to us, treating us as her own son. She died when Chan was one year old. My mother and Vernon’s mother apparently were from outside of the country, but we never really meet them so.”

“With that kind of circumstances, we learn nothing but survival in this cold place,” Junhui said bitterly. “There’s no time for being brothers or whatnot.”

“Isn’t that the more reason to lean on each other?” Joshua asked. “Because you know you need to survive?”

“Maybe it’s how it looks like from outsider point of view, but we lived in this castle as long as we remember. It’s not that easy to suddenly play brothers.”

“Then try with someone that’s not from the castle then!” Joshua smiled and raised his hand for a handshake. “Why don’t we become an actual brother? Not only because of this ‘prince’ thing?”

“Huh?” Junhui looked surprised and confused.

“I lived in the orphanage all my life you know,” Joshua chuckled at Junhui’s puzzled face. “You live to survive alone, yet I learn to survive with all of my siblings, with other children that also as lonely and alone as I am. I am a professional brother, you know, I can be a good hyung. Jeonghannie as well.”

Junhui raised his eyebrows and laughed. “What is a ‘professional brother’?”

Junhui looked at Joshua’s hand and looked into his sincere eyes. Something inside him telling him to take that hand. Junhui met Jeonghan a few days ago when he was visiting Minghao, and he was surprisingly pleasant to talk to and he was polite toward Minghao as well. He told Junhui about his opinion and tried to set thing straight well, his wording were really clear to understand. Joshua was somewhat alike yet different with Jeonghan. Joshua was more calming, talking with him made Junhui felt like it was just a normal day, which totally hard to feel when you were pressured by the Prince tittle every single day. He lived in the castle with lot of people, but he felt no one was with him. Junhui’s days were lonely without Minghao, he felt alone when Chan didn’t talk to him. What was it like to have actual brother? How’s the standard? How they do it out there? Junhui wanted to know.

He always wants that connection with people.

Junhui smiled and shook his hand. “I want to try it, that ‘professional brother’ thing.”

“Great!” Joshua patted Junhui’s shoulder. “Now, whenever you have doubt or need for help, come to me or Jeonghan. We will be there for you!”

“Sounds like child play,” Junhui mocked him but his smiled was warm.

“We’re children, what are you saying. There’s nothing wrong with child play!”

*

“Man, why does this castle feels like school,” Jeonghan whined as he jumped to his bed. It was a few days after they sneaked out to the orphanage, a few days before Royal Birthday Ball happen. They had a couple of extra classes for dance and art, with a lot of etiquette thingy to add. Joshua who was reading a book on his bed sighed.

“You’re complaining as if you know what school is like,” Joshua said it lightly but Jeonghan was almost hit himself because of his stupidity. In his previous life, he did knew the taste of school because some of volunteers those came to the church were actually teachers and the Sisters insisted they should take tests even though they didn’t attend any formal school. Jeonghan didn’t really against the idea since Joshua seemed to down with that, but then he needed to actually attend school for a week before the actual test and he fucking hated that. Wouldn’t want to go back.

Well, this castle wasn’t exactly a school but this place was definitely harsher than actual school.

“Are we actually Princes? Or are we an agent that is made for the sake of future plan of the world?” Jeonghan started to lose his mind. Joshua threw one of his pillow to Jeonghan which was welcomed by Jeonghan’s face.

“Shut up, you’re starting to hallucinate,” Joshua tried to put an end to his nonsense. “I heard that actual Prince thing only come a few times in a few years when we’re not seventeen yet. Seungcheol-nim would be the one that handle most of the things as the First Thing I guess. Or, Soonyoung-nim, or so I heard.”

“Soonyoung?” Jeonghan looked at Joshua confusedly. “Why?”

Joshua shrugged. “It was what I heard from the maroon maids when they were coming out from meeting hall.”

Jeonghan started to have cold sweats. Was that it? Was that the sign that battle between two factions would start?

Jeonghan was suspicious; hell he was sure that Soonyoung would be Seungcheol’s rival in this battle for the throne, but damn, it should start later right? Like maybe, when they were sixteen or something?

Jeonghan shook his head.

No, no, don’t panic. It wasn’t decided, this world might be different from the novel he read. Soonyoung might was not even interested on the throne. It’s fine. Jeonghan still had time to plan the strategy out.

“By the way, I heard Minghao would be discharged tomorrow,” Joshua tried to remember. “I hope Junhui won’t be reckless and pick fight with the King again if he sees the King doing something irritating in front of him later…”

“It wouldn’t be funny,” Jeonghan sighed. “It’s not that I don’t understand what he feels, though.”

Joshua nodded. “It must be hard for him to hold back.”

“It reminds me. Shua-ya, you need to tell me if you are in love with someone, okay! Don’t keep it for yourself!” Jeonghan pointed at Joshua.

“Right back at you! When I wasn’t looking you suddenly kiss and hug a Prince? What kind of a person is that?” Joshua picked on Jeonghan. Jeonghan was ready to fire back at him with how Joshua was not telling him when he was seeing a girl when they were ten but the sudden loud bam on the door made them jolted in surprise. They heard the voice of the door opened and then a loud bam on the floor. Joshua was the first one to jump out of his bed and took a look at the door. Someone was lying on the floor, he was using a full Royal attire.

“Seokmin-goon? Hey, are you okay? Seokmin-goon!” Joshua was so surprised when he saw Seokmin was struggling with his breathing. Joshua tried to support his head and his half upper body part with his arm to help him sit down. Jeonghan knew this kind of thing, he saw it happened before in his past life. He took a bag and placed it in front of Seokmin’s nose, covering half of his face. After a while his breathing started to slow down and gradually become normal. Jeonghan took the bag away while Joshua swoop him in one swing and carried Seokmin to his own bed, lying him on the bed. Seokmin coughed a couple of times before actually opening his eyes. After he opened his eyes, he suddenly became teary and started to cry.

He was not only cried, he cried hysterically, to the point his whole body was shaking and he couldn’t even speak or breathe. Joshua’s heart just broke when he saw that, so he pulled Seokmin into his chest and let him cried there. Seokmin’s body was shaking so much that the bed was also shaking with him. Joshua couldn’t imagine what happened to this kid that made him cried this much. Seokmin clung to Joshua’s shirt like little kid. It reminded Joshua of the younger kids in the orphanage when they cried after falling down and got some scratches that hurt their bodies. Joshua patted his back unconsciously, trying to make him feel better. Talking won’t do any good after all, so he just stayed there, hugged and patted him. Jeonghan felt the sadness in the air when he saw Seokmin crying. He decided to ask for some warm tea for Seokmin later after he done crying.

Seokmin actually cried nonstop for almost fifteen minutes, making Joshua a little bit worried about him. He came into the room couldn’t breathe, and now he cried uncontrollably like this. After his cries calmed down a little bit, Joshua tried to look into his eyes. Seokmin who was closing his eyes were kinda surprised when he felt Joshua’s hand trying to lift his chin up but he followed Joshua’s lead and looked into his eyes. Joshua smiled and wiped tears on his swollen eyes.

“It’s such a shame for a cute face to cry like this. Seeing you cry broke my heart also, let’s stop, okay? Are you feeling better?” Joshua asked in calming and gentle voice. Seokmin stopped crying but his nose was still runny. He nodded while trying to wipe his snot from his face. Joshua chuckled and gently patted his nose with his own shirt’s sleeve.

“It should be dinner time for us, why are you running around crying?” Joshua asked while patting Seokmin’s head lightly.

“I-uh-I-“ Seokmin almost choke once again and Joshua gently patted him on his back.

“It’s fine, I won’t go anywhere. You’re fine here, nothing will happen here,” Joshua tried to calm him down. Seokmin looked at Joshua again and he nodded with teary eyes. His eyes were red and swollen, his face was flushed pink and his whole body temperature was hot due to the crying. Seokmin was sweating a lot so Joshua gently patted his forehead with the dry part of his sleeves.

What a natural, Jeonghan said inside his heart.

Seokmin took a deep breath before talking. “I was done with my study… so I want to see… hic… I want to see Chan first. His study room was bright but I can hear the professor talking… so I decided to not disturb them and go… hic… and after that I heard a scream from Flowers Tower…” Seokmin’s eyes got teary again and he started to hiccup once again. Joshua and Jeonghan tensed up when they heard the name Flowers Tower being mentioned. Joshua tried to keep his calm and kept on patting Seokmin’s back and Jeonghan clenched his fist.

“I.. was surprised, hic… and… how can someone scream that loud…. If they’re not in danger? So I ran to the Tower… hic… and I saw…. The King… he actually…” Seokmin started to cry again but he kept talking. “In the… Bouquet room… letting a child got attacked by his… tiger… And there was so much blood.. and the kid kept crying, and I-I-“ Seokmin broke into tears again so Joshua pulled him into a hug once again. Joshua felt a tear came down from his eyes, empathizing with Seokmin’s feeling. Jeonghan could feel his blood rushing through his body to his head. His hands were freezing cold, his nails dug into his palm.

Suddenly a guard in gold armour came into the room. Royal Guards, the one that serve the King only.

“There he is!” one of them pointed to Seokmin. Seokmin’s body was trembling hard so Joshua hugged him tighter.

“What is this? Where is your manner when entering a Prince’s room!?” Jeonghan snapped and stood up. Hearing him suddenly snap making the Royal Guards stopped walking inside.

“We need to capture the person who looks into the Bouquet Room!” said of them.

“And who that person is?” Jeonghan folded his arms in front of his chest.

“The Fifth Prince. And Even if you’re a Prince, you’re not allowed to just disobey King’s order.”

“Who said he is looking into the Bouquet Room?” Jeonghan tilted his head.

“We saw him, don’t try to play with us!” one of the Royal Guards started to rise his voice.

“And who say that he was there before!? He is with us the entire time, are you dumb or what!?” Jeonghan shouted angrily. He wasn’t in good mood since before, he couldn’t even tolerant small things.

“But-“

“I SAID HE IS WITH US THE ENTIRE TIME,” Jeonghan shouted again. He shot glares to the Guards. His eyes weren’t joking. “Or are you trying to tell me that you are accusing me for lying!?”

There was a moment of constricting silence.

“No, Your Highness,” one of them answered after a long second.

“Try to use your eyes for the better or I will take them out and give them to blind person myself so it will be for better use,” Jeonghan ended his rage with a threat. “Now go!”

Jeonghan took a deep breath after the Guards walked away from the room.

“Why are you snapping like that,” Joshua chuckled. Jeonghan ruffled his own hair and walked to the door to close it.

“I don’t know man, I’m just releasing some steam-what the fuck!?”

Jeonghan was so surprised he couldn’t even filter his mouth; but who wouldn’t be surprised if the hard-to-gather-Princes suddenly showed up on your door? All seven of them (minus one inside)?


	7. Princes Assamble

“My room is not a conference room…” Jeonghan sighed as he protested for the tenth times about the sudden meeting inside his and Joshua’s room. Ten of the Princes were rarely seen together, now all of them were cramping on the bed, five on Joshua’s bed and five on Jeonghan’s bed. Seokmin still clung to Joshua while Joshua kept on patting him. Chan ran to Seokmin’s side as quick as he could and patted his arm sadly. Junhui also came to Joshua’s side, next to Chan. Wonwoo just sat beside Junhui quietly.

Meanwhile Soonyoung ran to Jeonghan’s side as he walked in and looked around, like he was in amusement park or something. Vernon and Mingyu followed him. There was no why Vernon would miss something as interesting as this! While Mingyu just following Soonyoung like always. Soonyoung walked in quietly but he chose Jeonghan’s side without hesitation.

“What’s happen?” Seungcheol opened the first question, ignoring Jeonghan’s constant complains.

Joshua looked at Seokmin’s condition and spoke on his behalf. “Seokmin-goon saw a Flower… a _kid_. Being attacked by a tiger in the Bouquet Room. He was screaming for help so Seokmin tried to take a look. The kid was already in pool of blood when he arrived.”

Seungcheol looked unhappy. The whole room became weird after Joshua’s explanation.

“The guards saw him, I guess. They tried to take Seokmin but I sent them away,” Jeonghan continued the story about what just happened.

“With a threat to dig their eyes out of their skull if they aren’t going to use their eyes again,” Vernon added with a laugh. Soonyoung trying to hold in his laugh and Junhui looked like he was swallowing his laughter as well.

“I’m just mad, stop it,” Jeonghan sighed. “My mouth is still a commoner’s mouth, I can’t control it yet.”

Now Junhui was just straight up chuckling, followed by Vernon and Soonyoung. Mingyu tried to hold his laughter in but he failed anyway.

“I want to ask something, it’s something I’ve always been curious for since the first day I’m here,” Jeonghan started the conversation.

“Are you guys seriously okay with this Flower system? Seeing children being used like that?”

“You think I’m okay with that?” Junhui was the first one to voice his opinion. It’s not a secret anymore that Junhui was obviously against the Flower system, he even got into fight with the King because of it. His ‘closeness’ with one of the King’s Flower was pretty well known after all, even though they never publicly flirt or anything, people knew that Second Prince spent a lot of time visiting the Central Library and talked a lot with Minghao.

“I mean other than you,” Jeonghan added the question. “Don’t you feel anything seeing those children younger than you are being played like that?”

“I don’t like it,” Seokmin was the second one to talk, still sobbing but his voice was loud and clear. “I don’t like seeing them treated like that. That kid… that was attacked, he was probably Chan’s age and-“ Seokmin sobbing again. Joshua patted his back and hugged him again.

“To be honest, I don’t really care,” Vernon was the one who voiced his opinion now. “I won’t be lying and say that I’m empathizing with them or anything, I don’t even know them and what happened to them is not my business. But I don’t like it when it’s making one of my brothers like this.”

Jeonghan wasn’t surprised because Vernon always showed little interest in the Flowers, but he actually cared a lot for his brothers, huh? What an interesting character.

“I always hate that,” Soonyoung said calmly with a smile, but somehow his smile looked cold. “I really, really hate that, especially the Flowers Tower.”

“Me too,” Mingyu voiced his opinion now. “Aside of because Soonyoung hated that, it’s because I don’t like remembering all the things that happened to… a lot of important people in my life in that thing.”

“Me too,” Chan added with soft voice. “I hate seeing other people suffer.”

“I don’t think there’s one of us that not hate that Tower,” Wonwoo who rarely speak just spoke, made Jeonghan surprised at how low his voice was. “Vernon is just don’t like spilling things about himself. Letting the details slip.”

Vernon only grinned. “Shut up. I hate Wonwoo-Hyungnim so much, oh my God.”

“How about you?” Jeonghan asked directly to Seungcheol who was quietly listening to everyone.

“Like I said, I hate people who think they can decide other people’s life or fate the most.”

Jeonghan shrugged. “Fair enough.”

“Do you think it can always be like this?” Joshua asked the next question. “I might was not born inside the castle and I probably would never know what it feels like to spend my childhood in this castle, I won’t know what you feel all this time… but it’s not fair, to live like this.”

“Let’s take over the throne as quick as possible,” Jeonghan put the risky question on the table first. The whole room’s air just changed weird. Joshua was a little bit nervous about the outcome of this plan of theirs. They were actually planning to get closer to other Princes first before proposing the idea, but they wouldn’t have any other timing more perfect than this. The moment was just right. They hadn’t discussed about this but both of them were already in agreement even without discussion.

Jeonghan was the one who came up with the idea. Jeonghan thought to himself; why did the Princes in the novel couldn’t just get along with each other and fight for the throne together? Answer: because it’s a novel! You need story complexion, you need conflict, you need a main villain, and a hard way to achieve your goal. But this is not a story someone make, it’s Jeonghan’s life. He could make changes. He could bring them together for once and tried to prevent any possibilities of conflict. Jeonghan knew it was somehow a risky bet, but he wanted to try, and he wanted to believe that it was possible.

“People are actually suffering inside and outside of the castle. Why should we put up with this?” Jeonghan asked.

“It’s not a conversation we can just have with all of the Princes,” Mingyu talked first.

“Why not? Let’s just be honest first, who wants to be King, raise your hand!” Jeonghan raised his hand as an example.

Soonyoung raised his hand almost reflectively. Jeonghan squinted his eyes. “What, only Soonyoung-goon? Don’t lie to me! You don’t want to, Seungcheol-ah?”

Vernon almost burst in laughing because of that straightforward question.

“I never want to be the King in the first place,” he shook his head. Soonyoung looked surprised at that statement.

“Eeh? But I like you!” Jeonghan raised his eyebrows, disappointed. Seungcheol felt something inside his stomach shook him when he heard that.

“And you don’t like me?” Soonyoung looked offended.

“Of course I like you too! That’s why my brilliant idea is this: let’s make a pact that us brothers would take over the throne, about who will be the King we will decide later after we’re adult, so we need to observe each other well, each person should recommend one name. The one with the most vote will be the King, how about that?” Jeonghan proposed an idea he just came with a few minutes ago. Even Joshua was surprised with that offer. Their plan was raw, just until ‘taking the throne together’. Joshua hadn’t thought about the possibility of more than one person wanted to be the King.

“Well, if all of the Princes join forces, it would certainly easier to do coup d’etat,” Junhui tried to imagine the force they could have.

“What if we have a traitor between us?” Seungcheol asked. Jeonghan clicked his tongue loudly.

“You need to learn more about your brothers, mister I-can-live-alone-forever. I doubt there will be any traitor between us. Not to add that all of us actually hated the King and wanted him to go away quicker, why should we fight among ourselves and make things harder? It’s easier to have a discussion about the King later and prepare for the coup d’etat since now, we can’t afford losing too much time being under that person, a lot of people might be dying and we don’t know. We better prepare ourselves well, gathering information and backs up. We need power; not one, but ten of us, to actually bring that person and his kingdom down.”

“Whoa, it’s crazy, I’m starting to think that it’s not a bad idea,” Vernon looked surprised.

“It’s sounds fun, I’m in!” Soonyoung looked happier than before.

“It’s completely stupid but worth trying,” Wonwoo added.

“Count me in,” Seokmin said in soft voice while raising one of his hands.

“Me too,” Chan looked determined.

“I’m down for everything that makes Minghao free,” Junhui didn’t even mask his intention.

“I’m down for everything that makes that annoying Tower disappears,” Mingyu joined.

After that it was a few seconds of silence, all of them were waiting for one person left to say something.

“So? Seungcheol-ah, what about you?” Jeonghan asked with a wide smile without holding back. Seungcheol sighed. “It’s true that fighting among ourselves is useless and waste of time. Our true enemy is someone else after all.”

Jeonghan smiled widely.

“Great! Now with our brother power, let’s win this Kingdom!”

“Ugh, that’s corny as fuck…”

*

“Seungcheol-Hyungnim,” Soonyoung called him. Seungcheol who was deep in thought turned around. He didn’t usually respond when other people call them, but he reacted to Soonyoung. Soonyoung grinned when he saw his brother paid him attention.

“Want to take a stroll with me for a minute?”

Seungcheol didn’t say anything but he followed Soonyoung to the stairs outside. It was a really cold night, yet both of them were too occupied with their own minds to realize the cold. What happened was too complicated and new for them, but they sensed a weird feeling of fondness after they walked out from Joshua and Jeonghan’s room. Seungcheol just realized he never really talk about this with anyone, didn’t think that it was a big deal, but apparently it was. He realized that he didn’t think about it alone, he didn’t feel it was unfair alone.

“I never knew that you don’t have any intention to become a King, Hyungnim,” Soonyoung opened the conversation.

“I never talk about it to anyone so it’s not weird that you don’t know,” Seungcheol shrugged.

“Why you never tell me before?” Soonyoung asked again.

“Because you never ask,” Seungcheol answered lightly. Soonyoung burst into laughter. “So if I ask you will tell me honestly that you don’t want to be a King?”

Seungcheol nodded. Soonyoung secretly felt relieved inside his heart.

“Then who can be the King?” Soonyoung asked. Seungcheol didn’t answer for a few minutes and looked at the vast sky.

“The one that can be sacrificed, I guess,” Seungcheol let out a deep breath. “The one who is willing to take the responsibility.”

Soonyoung blinked while looking at Seungcheol. “What do you think about me be the King?”

“You have quality,” Seungcheol answered in a second. “I just don’t think you are someone that can be tied up by a country.”

Soonyoung raised his eyebrows, surprised by what Seungcheol said. “What do you mean by that?”

Seungcheol looked at Soonyoung and pointed the sky. “The world is as vast as the sky. There’s a lot of things you can see, a lot of people you can meet, a lot of challenges to break. It’s too bad someone like you to be trapped inside the castle. You should do whatever you want to do.”

Soonyoung tried to hide his smiled. “If I’m become the King, I can’t do whatever I want to do?”

“If you’re like that, I should come and kill you by my own hands,” Seungcheol said seriously. Soonyoung became serious too. He knew that Seungcheol really meant it.

“Become a King is not that easy. The responsibility of citizens lied on one person’s shoulder. You can’t just do whatever you want to do and not think about what the consequences of your action. Your body is not your own, your mind is not your own, your future is not your own. It’s heavy, and it’s a sin to be ignorant. While if you’re not a King, it’s fine to be ignorant. It’s fine to run anywhere you want to, think about whatever you want to and have your own opinion about anything.”

Soonyoung got what Seungcheol tried to tell him. That position meant ‘burden for your entire life’. Soonyoung knew that Seungcheol somewhat cared for them as siblings, but hearing this from himself surely made Soonyoung happy. Not to add that this meant for Soonyoung _personally_.

Soonyoung smiled. “I agree with Jeonghan-Hyungnim. Let’s just build force for now, we can decide who will be the King later.”

Soonyoung patted Seungcheol on his shoulder.

“You should also prepare yourself for the King position, Hyungnim. I want to have a strong opponent.”

*

That person is like a sun.

He radiates, he is bright, he is calm, and he is warm.

His face is a gift from God for mundane world, to prove that both masculinity and femininity can be together in a person’s body.

His smile is genuine and kind like spring, his seriousness is cold as the winter.

His voice sounded low yet still soft, like a touch of swan’s feathers.

His touch is warm, his body burning hot.

“It’s rare for you to make a drawing of another person,” his mentor made Seokmin jumped.

“Whoa!” he actually jolted and fell from his chair. His mentor raised one of his eyebrows and laughed. His chubby cheeks moved a lot, along with his happiness. “What is wrong with you? You’re too engrossed in drawing that you forget that you’re still in my class?”

“Beomju-nim is the one in the wrong,” Seokmin whined. Beomju helped his student stood up and helped him took the chair that fell with his body and placed it at its initial spot.

“So who is this person that you made? It looks like a real person,” Beomju took Seokmin’s drawing paper and looked at it. Seokmin blushed and took the drawing back.

“He is a real person. You are done now, right? I’m hungry, let me have my lunch,” Seokmin hurriedly put his drawing on the table and pushed Beomju away to the door.

“What, you’re pushing me now? And I’m so worried about you too!” Beomju teased him. Beomju was really worried about Seokmin, though. Seokmin always been a kind and bright kid, but today he showed up late and his face was really swollen, looked like he was crying all night long. Mentors don’t usually get along that well with the Princes, but Kye Beomju was different. Kye Beomju was an outsider that really famous for his painting and singing, that’s why the Palace hired him as a mentor. He taught art related things in the castle since Seungcheol was nine, until now, yet he didn’t taught classes continuously. There would be time where Beomju left for a few months and came back later. Beomju always been a carefree person, and since he wasn’t related to the kingdom, it made him a little bit looser than the other mentors they had, not to add Beomju was also the youngest mentor they had.

“I’m fine now, I’m fine! I need to eat, you need to eat too, aren’t you? Now go!” Seokmin finally pushed Beomju passed the door to the hallway.

“But I want to know the story! And who is that Prince Charming you drew!?” Beomju insisted to ask but he didn’t really fight Seokmin back when he pushed Beomju.

“Wh-Prince-what-no! It’s no one, so just go!” Seokmin could feel his face turned red when he said that. Beomju caught the signal and jumped forward, making Seokmin lost the body weight he just pushed so we fell forward but he managed to not fell down and stayed still. Beomju on the other side, he jumped forward and turned around to face his pupil.

“Whoa, don’t tell me you’re in love!? You’re still a kid, what are you thinking, falling for puppy love?!” Beomju teased him and laughed. Seokmin’s face got redder than before.

“It’s not like that!” Seokmin almost scream.

“Not like what? Why are you outside?” a soothing voice made Seokmin and Beomju looked at the person who just passed. Beomju frowned. Why is this person look familiar?

“Jo-Jo-Joshua-Hyungnim,” Seokmin stuttered his name because of the surprise. Joshua smiled at him. “I’m about to invite you for lunch together, but I guess you’re busy?”

“NO!” Seokmin sudden shout made both Joshua and Beomju jolted, surprised. “I mean, my mentor is about to eat as well! So you come in the right time!”

“Really?” Joshua asked while looking at Beomju. Beomju stared hole at him. Beomju swear he just saw that face somewhere-

“OH! You’re that Prince Charming!” Beomju clapped his hands after the puzzle inside his head matched. Seokmin’s eyes almost came out from his skull but Beomju didn’t care. He dashed into the study room and Seokmin followed him, tried to stop whatever his mentor plan to do next. Too bad Seokmin was too small and too weak for Beomju, so he managed to took the drawing first and brought it outside. Joshua waited there, both curious and confused.

Beomju raised the drawing beside Joshua’s face and tried to scan the drawing. “It’s you! The Prince Charming that Seokmin-goon drew!”

Joshua raised his eyebrows and tried to look at the drawing while Seokmin covered his face with his hands, embarrassed. He didn’t have any energy left to complain.

“Whoa, you drew this? You are so talented, Seokmin-goon!” Joshua praised him happily. Hearing the praise made Seokmin dared himself to uncover his eyes. Joshua looked at him and smiled. “I never had anyone draw me ever, thank you very much! It’s so beautiful.”

Seokmin could feel his heart thumping louder and faster than before. “I-it’s not that hard… You’re really beautiful that’s why I can draw you easily.”

Beomju held in his laughter. _That was the case_!

“Well, I need to eat now that Prince Charming is here. See you after lunch!” Beomju walked away and then chuckled all the way to mentor’s room. Seokmin reminded himself to ask Beomju to stop teasing him in the future. And in front of Joshua! He didn’t want to make things awkward between them.

“Your mentor is such a unique person,” Joshua tilted his head while looking him walked away. “By the way, this drawing, is this class assignment or?”

“Ah, yeah-I have art class today.”

“Too bad, I really like this,” Joshua looked at the drawing again. He seemed to really like the drawing. Seokmin could feel his heart thumped louder. He bit his lip and embolden himself.

“You can request something, I will draw it for you, since I like to draw,” Seokmin volunteered. Joshua looked brighter after Seokmin made the offer.

“You are so talented, you are great at drawing and also a good singer as well,” Joshua added the praise. Seokmin looked surprise when Joshua mentioned singing.

“Where did you know that I’m a good singer?” Seokmin looked shy when he asked about that.

“Uhm, I think it was a few days ago? When I was still in rest, I took a walk because I need fresh air. I saw you singing near the pond by yourself. Sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but I don’t want to startle you so I just hide myself. Ugh, I just realize I was so creepy…” Joshua suddenly felt regret. Why didn’t he just greet him? It made him sounded like a stalker or a weirdo!

“No, no, no it’s fine!” Seokmin waved his hands quickly. “I appreciate your compliment really, because I’m too shy to sing in front of other people, haha.”

“Eh, why? Even though your voice is so beautiful!” Joshua looked surprised. Seokmin’s face turned redder.

“I’m not confident enough, I guess. I need to build more confidence…” he said in low voice. Joshua smiled and patted his head.

“That’s a good determination! I will always support you. By the way, it’s way too late now, but do want to eat together? Jeonghan-ah and Chan probably already start eating, but will you join us?” Joshua asked. Seokmin jumped inside his mind.

“Yes, please!”

*

Today is Eighteenth of February.

The day of Fifth Prince Seokmin’s twelfth birthday and Seventh Prince Vernon eleventh birthday. Jeonghan was almost forgot how young they were because of all of these Princes thingy. He never had an easy childhood since his past life, but these children were in a situation that pressed them to be mature quicker than their actual age.

The whole castle was already in prepare since yesterday morning and today was more chaotic than yesterday. The quiet second floor castle changed to be really crowded and full with maids, both the low class green dressed maids and middle class orange dressed maids. Even though the Hall that was used for the ball was on the separate building outside, they still needed to make grand make over in the whole castle. Jeonghan liked the crowdedness because he always been living in rural area filled with people, while the quiet one like Seungcheol seemed to get irritated way easier now.

Because of the Ball, all of their classes for today cancelled and changed into dancing class, all of them in one Hall, the big Hall that was used for the Fencing Class the other day. Jeonghan didn’t really like dancing, not to mention waltz had a certain rules on it and it drove him completely nuts learning that these few days. Joshua was not really into it either, but it seemed like he got the feeling faster than Jeonghan. Jeonghan never really had any interest learn fancy things like dancing, but he hated it when he tried his best at something but the result didn’t come out as good as he hoped it to be. Jeonghan tried to shift his attention from how suck he was at dancing to other things. All of the Princes got their own mentor, but one mentor supposed to teach 2 Princes each so Jeonghan got a few minutes of rest, along with Junhui, Vernon, Wonwoo and Mingyu. Jeonghan approached Junhui who was sitting on the spectator seat and stared blankly at his mentor.

“Hey, I heard today is the day Minghao ‘discharge’?” Jeonghan sat beside Junhui and whispered to him. Junhui smiled and nodded.

“Yeah.”

“You don’t look that happy for someone who was waiting him to get better,” Jeonghan raised his eyebrows. Junhui didn’t get to see Minghao for about a week or so, after the first night Jeonghan gave food for Minghao. Giving food to Minghao already changed into Jeonghan’s daily routine, but to avoid any dangerous thing that might happen he only dropped by to give Minghao food for one minute and quickly said his good bye after, once every two or three days, depended on the food that he brought. Seungcheol opposed the idea first, telling them that using maids or guards would be better than a Prince himself came to the Flower, but Jeonghan insisted that it might be dangerous if a guard or maid who was caught than himself. Jeonghan also mentioned that they couldn’t believe that much people in this kind of time where the whole castle was on edge because of what already happened before. Only God knew how Seungcheol even agreed to Jeonghan bringing the food, but well what happened already happen. The last time Jeonghan brought food for him was three days ago, when Minghao asked him to stop bringing food because he would be discharged in no time. Junhui and Chan kept their promise to Seungcheol and didn’t go anywhere nearby Flowers Tower meanwhile.

“Of course I’m happy… but I think it will only get harder from now on,” Junhui sighed and smiled at his brother. “Well, we already decided on moving forward, I guess I need to do my best to hold back too since it can ruin our plan if I’m too reckless.”

Jeonghan patted his head and smiled at him proudly. “You are really mature even though you are younger than me. How admirable!”

Junhui looked a little bit embarrassed. “Not really… You are way more mature in my opinion.”

Suddenly a hand grabbed Jeonghan’s hand which patted Junhui’s head, making both Jeonghan and Junhui equally surprised.

“Your turn,” Seungcheol said coldly, still grabbing Jeonghan’s hand. Jeonghan frowned and hit his shoulder angrily. “You’re surprising me! Just say that you’re done!”

Jeonghan shrugged Seungcheol’s hand aggressively and stomped his way to his mentor that responsible for him and Seungcheol. Junhui raised his eyebrows, still surprised and confused, but he walked to his mentor, following Jeonghan. Vernon on the other side looked amused like he always do whenever Jeonghan had beef with Seungcheol and Soonyoung who was observing while walking to the spectator seats looked pleased. He hugged Seungcheol’s shoulder after he arrived at the spectator’s seat and grinned. “You’re that fond of him, huh?”

Seungcheol clicked his tongue.

“I’m not!”

Soonyoung laughed when he heard Seungcheol raised his voice. He wiped his tear that came from the laugh and patted Seungcheol’s shoulder. “It’s the first time ever you raise your voice to me in a decade of living together and it’s because of him. You think what you said can convince me that you are not fond of him?”

Seungcheol glared at Soonyoung and dropped his body weight to the nearest chair angrily. Seungcheol’s childish behaviour only made Soonyoung laughed harder.

“It’s so weird seeing you like this!” Soonyoung sat beside Seungcheol and smiled. “It’s fun like this.”

Seungcheol sighed.

“Just shut up, I’m tired.”

Soonyoung continued to giggle. Mingyu who was watching the looked annoyed, but he kept on with his lesson, still making his mentor sang words of compliments. Mingyu always been great at everything he does after all.

“Hyungnim, I actually want to talk about something serious. It’ll be great if you guys hear about this too,” Soonyoung called to the other Princes that was in rest with him; Joshua, Chan, and Seokmin. Joshua and Chan reflectively moved their chairs closer to Soonyoung and Seungcheol while Seokmin squatted near them so he could hear clearly.

“You guys know Lee Jihoon, right? Especially you, since you’re new here and I think you haven’t see him yet,” Soonyoung pointed at Joshua. Joshua nodded. “I never see him but Jeonghan told me about him. The son of Prime Minister Lee, Prime Minister of Foreign Relation.”

“You guys seriously talk about everything aren’t you,” Soonyoung couldn’t believe someone could be that close with the other. “Well, this is my plan. Jihoon is close with me so I know him, since we’ve been friends since years, I don’t even remember time when I wasn’t friend with him. I can trust him, so I want you guys to trust me too.”

“Okay,” Joshua nodded at the statement. Seungcheol knew where this conversation was going but he wanted to hear Soonyoung’s explanation first.

“I want to tell Jihoon about our plan, and he might know if other Prime Ministers or Nobleman can join our plan.”

“Do you think he will be on our side?” Seungcheol said it first. Soonyoung nodded confidently. “Jihoon hated injustice thing so much, so I kinda guess that he actually never agree with this kind of thing. Not to add that his mother actually died from overwork too.”

“His mother what?” Joshua looked surprised.

“Oh, yeah, you don’t know about this. His mother worked with his father as his father’s assistant a lot. They went to a lot of countries together. When we were children, there was time where the relationship between Han Kingdom and other countries weren’t so good, mostly with the Wen Kingdom. I don’t really know what happened back then but our Minister of Foreign Relation was on chaos back then, and Jihoon’s mother needed to go to a lot of countries by herself, separated from her husband. I heard she caught some foreign disease when she back here and was isolated for a while. She did get better for a while and allowed to go home, but her condition became worse and worse and she died not long after. Since then, Jihoon always had been salty about overwork.”

“Oh no, that’s really bad,” Joshua looked sad. “And his father just works like usual after that?”

“He didn’t have that much choice, if he didn’t want to die. Being a Prime Minister wasn’t like a normal job, Hyungnim. Once you know, you can’t go back to ‘not know’ and that’s the King’s privilege to do anything to ‘protect’ the Kingdom,” Seokmin was the one who explained this time.

Joshua clenched his fist. “I understand your point and I think it’s also a good thing to do that, since we don’t have that much of nobleman acquaintances, as far as I know.”

“We really don’t,” Seokmin smiled bitterly. “Princes of Han Kingdom somehow really hidden, I don’t even know why. People rarely sees us, nobleman only meet us on Party that held in the castle. Seungcheol-Hyungnim is the only one who people know.”

“I don’t really talk with other people, though,” Seungcheol made a confirmation.

“We know, we know,” Soonyoung almost laugh. “That’s why I’m proposing this idea. Jihoon might had some friends outside that might could help us as well.”

“I agree that we need force,” Seungcheol finally voiced his opinion. Soonyoung was waiting for this so he opened his ears widely.

“Yet, you need to think that not even a friend for years might understand or even capable for things like this, since coup d’etat is not a game. Don’t just spoil everything and let him know little by little. We are not in hurry, so do your judgement slowly and precisely. We’re in the loss and everything will fall apart if he turned out to be an enemy.”

Soonyoung looked pleased with Seungcheol’s opinion. “Yeah, I already made a plan about how much should I talk about it and how should I spill it. I will do the judgement right and make sure we get him on our side.”

Seungcheol nodded. “You’re good at judging people’s character so I think you will do well. So, that’s all?”

“Nah, Hyungnim, one more thing,” Soonyoung added. “It’s not like we only need one person. We need a lot of people to be on our side if that’s the case. Let’s build connection in this party. We can eliminate and choose people from this party.”

Seungcheol didn’t look happy hearing the idea.

“That’s actually a good idea,” Joshua nodded. “We can just talk and know each other first, in the future we might bump into them or something and we might know them more to decide whether they could be a friend or foe later, since we will be fighting the whole Kingdom when the time comes.”

“The whole… Kingdom, huh,” Chan sounded gloomy when he said that. Joshua smiled when he heard Chan and patted his head.

“Are you afraid?” Joshua asked. Chan smiled and shook his head.

“I only hope that there wouldn’t be that much blood poured for this.”


	8. Poisoned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!   
> A friend of mine who wasn't really familiar with Seventeen wanted to read the story and as she did she said that she wasn't able to imagine the characters so I put in the images here. It's also the looks that I aimed for in the story~   
> I'll be really happy if you somehow enjoy this story! ^^

**Here's the picture of their looks in the story:**

Jeonghan

Seungcheol

Joshua

Seokmin

Soonyoung

Mingyu

Wonwoo

Jihoon

Junhui

MInghao

Vernon

Chan

Seungkwan (didn't appear at the story yet XD)

**_ Story starts!_**

“Relax,” Joshua patted Jeonghan’s back. Jeonghan looked at him and nodded. His smile was a little bit awkward but he tried to calm himself down. It wasn’t being introduced as a Prince for the first time that made him nervous, it was seeing aristocrats and noblemen for the first time that made him nervous. He never likes fancy things since childhood, from his past life until now. His life in the castle might full with luxury but people inside it weren’t that luxurious, they lived pretty much life like your everyday students but richer. There was formality of course, but the Princes actually talked pretty much like your everyday neighbour but politer and more formal. They didn’t really discriminate him and Joshua because of their origin, most of them were even interested in them, or just plain didn’t care. Jeonghan preferred to be ignored, to be honest. Meeting the aristocrats and noblemen were different, they were fancier and they needed to be pleased. Some of them might try to win Jeonghan over, some of them might look down on him. Jeonghan needed to make a good impression no matter what, so he could make a good connection with them too.

“It’s so weird seeing you this nervous, Hyungnim,” Soonyoung approached him with his hamster smile. All of the Princes were preparing outside of the Royal Ball Hall, the one Hall outside of the castle that made separately for big parties for the Royals importance. All of the guests were already inside the Hall, ten of the Princes supposed to come it later. Ninth and Tenth Prince would be announced later after all of the Princes were summoned inside.

“It’s not only you, even I myself think I’m weird,” Jeonghan smiled awkwardly.

“It will be fine!” Soonyoung smacked his back. Jeonghan awed but he smiled. He knew Soonyoung meant to encourage him. Soonyoung somehow changed to be… more genuine these days, after their meeting a few days ago. Seemed like it was a good idea to propose the idea for their coalition earlier.

“Something had been bothering me, though,” Jeonghan started a talk so he could distract himself from his own nervousness. “Why don’t you guys hate us? I mean, we’re peasants and we suddenly live with you. Don’t you feel weird that random strangers suddenly become a Prince?”

Vernon was the first one to laugh, followed by Soonyoung.

“You’re living with us for a month already and you still ask this kind of question, I don’t know are you plain dull or just insensitive,” Vernon said in the middle his laugh. Soonyoung patted Jeonghan’s shoulder. “You know how much we hate it here. Why should we feel angry that more people are about to enter this hell on earth?”

“We are Prince of this country by default,” Seungcheol suddenly butted in the conversation. “We learn to just accept that. There’s nothing weird for just accepting the other Royal Bloods as well.”

“Not to add that the prophecy said that ‘Ten Princes’ need to be in the Palace or ,” Seokmin addressed the prophecy. “It’s been the tradition to always believe the prophecy by this Kingdom’s magic as the one that guided this Kingdom since ancient time.”

“There’s just no option or time for us to worry that much about you,” Mingyu made conclusion.

“It’s you,” Soonyoung flicked his forehead with his fingers softly. Mingyu didn’t really react but he smiled to Soonyoung. Jeonghan raised his eyebrows. This kid really liked Soonyoung, huh.

“I think it’s about time,” Wonwoo said it after he saw a guard in gold armour walked to them. They stood in line, prepared to enter the Royal Ball Hall. They stood in two lines, five people each side. The first line was Seokmin and Vernon, the star of the Birthday Ball. After them followed Seungcheol and Junhui, behind them followed Soonyoung and Wonwoo, followed by Mingyu and Chan, and Jeonghan and Joshua at the back line.

“It’s time, Shua-ya,” Jeonghan took a deep breath. “We should just run away that time.”

Joshua chuckled. “You know you don’t want that. Stop being a chicken and just be yourself, you always been great in things like this.”

Jeonghan clicked his tongue. “How can I mess up if you say something like that!?”

They walked into the Hall with orchestra playing on the second floor of the Hall. The spacious Hall filled with people. All of them were sparkling on Jeonghan’s eyes, they at least used a couple of diamonds or gold somewhere on their clothes or body. They all smiled at them, but their smile only made Jeonghan got goose bumps because of how not genuine it was. He kept his persona and smiled politely to the people on their left and right side. Jeonghan looked forward. The King, an old man in his fifties looked bored. He stood up in front of his throne, his left and side were full with people in navy attire; the Prime Ministers. Jeonghan recognized Prime Minister Kim Yeonsoo, the one that mostly deal with him and Joshua, since the first day they came until their latest dance class this afternoon. He didn’t meet him regularly but he was the only adult that Jeonghan met most often since his first day in the castle.

Jeonghan realized that a nearby the throne there were a crowd filled with children to adult in maroon cloak; the Flowers. He recognized one skinny figure that he last seen three days ago, Xu Minghao. Jeonghan felt relieved seeing him finally out from that cage, but he didn’t look that well. Jeonghan only could hope that Junhui wouldn’t do anything rush that might hurt himself later. Jeonghan felt that the white flag for Chan’s death shouldn’t be there anymore since he managed to stop him from coming to Minghao’s room, but somehow he still felt weirdly cautious. Jeonghan decided to trust his feeling and kept on guard, at least until the end of today. The situation was too perfect, he sure that something would happen.

“Cheers for the Fifth Prince and Seventh Prince,” Kim Yeonsoo raised his glass after all the Princes stood in front of the crowd of noblemen and aristocrats, near the King.

“Long live, Royal Family!” the whole Hall cheered.

“And now, for your Highness to make the announcement,” Yeonsoo bowed. The King walked to the front and he raised his hand.

“Our Kingdom had lost two of our important jewels, and now they’re back with us again, in their right place. The Ninth and Tenth Princes are with us now, I announced that now the Princes are officially the member of Royal Family.”

All of the people in the hall kneeled on the floor, except the Royal Family themselves. Jeonghan felt uncomfortable seeing people knelt down in front of him so he shifted his sight to the ceiling. Joshua looked at the side, looking at the maroon cloaked crowd at their left and right. There were two boys stood nearest to the throne, nearest to the Princes. Junhui kept glancing to one of the boy that Joshua expected to be the famous Xu Minghao. He was skinny and his height was average, but he indeed was looking beautiful for a boy. Joshua clenched his fist unconsciously. How young was the child that died before? How much of them were needed to make hip stop?

After a few seconds they all stood up again and raised their glasses before took a sip from the glass. The Princes finally let go the meet with the guests. Soonyoung rushed to meet his best friend Jihoon, who was talking with the son of Marquis Kang that own a couple import business and had been the in the knight line, Kang Euigeon. He looked really young but it didn’t make him less confident. Jeonghan couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Mingyu split himself from Soonyoung first. He actually went to the son of Duke Jeon, the person who owned a lot of water line in Han Kingdom, Jeon Jungkook. Jeonghan almost spit his drink when he saw how different Mingyu was to him than with the Princes. Other than his weird over jealousy toward Soonyoung, he didn’t really show that much interest about other people. He was always a gentle, but he didn’t really show any interest.

Seokmin and Vernon were obviously the centre of attention because this Birthday Ball was held for their sake for the first place, but a lot of people also tried to make friend with Jeonghan and Joshua. Maintaining image was always been Jeonghan’s expertise and being gentleman was already in Joshua’s blood so they didn’t really had that much problem handling this party. Jeonghan secretly took a peak at the other Princes, it seemed like they were doing well socializing. Chan and Seokmin talked with a lot of people his age while Seungcheol and Wonwoo mostly approached by older people. Seungcheol showed a formal smile perfectly while Wonwoo looked like he used so much energy just to answer their greetings. Junhui talked a lot with people that looked like from different countries.

After a few minutes, Jeonghan felt dizzy already. There was too much people, too much things to observe and too little space for him to actually breathe. He didn’t like these people. He didn’t know about other people, but most people who approached him didn’t seem genuine at all, Jeonghan would say that they’re all in his blacklist already. They wouldn’t be able to even stand in front of the King with all of this fake kindness just to please the new Princes that the King just found out of nowhere. Jeonghan thought that they would treat him and Joshua poorly, but he didn’t expect that the King actually was feared this much. Even though they didn’t like these new two peasants that suddenly escalated to be Princes, it seemed like they didn’t have any guts to defy the King. Jeonghan didn’t like this at all.

These weird fake smiles started to make Jeonghan’s head spun. He tried to smile politely and tried to walk to the side near the wall so he could lean on the table or something, but people kept coming his way. He was trying to ask Joshua for help but it seemed like Joshua was also trapped himself. Jeonghan started to have cold sweat on his back and his fingers started to freeze. Jeonghan didn’t think he would hate it to the point his whole body started shaking because of it, though?

Wait, shit, what did he drink earlier?

Jeonghan looked at his hand, his glass was filled with orange liquid that he already drunk before.

Jeonghan frowned.

Who gave him this glass again?

Shit, how stupid! How can Jeonghan just drink whatever someone handed him?

Jeonghan was starting to tremble when he realized that he just drank something he didn’t know what or where the origins of that drink as well. He started to lost strength of his body and cold sweats poured more.

“Your Highness, are you feeling sick?” one of the people that talk with him started to ask. Jeonghan shook his head, he started to feel run out of breath.

“Wait, what’s wrong? Jeonghan-ah!” Joshua’s voice felt somewhat distant from his ears. Jeonghan blinked a couple more times and shook his head once again because his vision somehow became blurry.

“Jeonghan!”

A familiar deep voice was the last thing he heard before he lost all of the strength in his body. He felt a warm feeling surrounding him as his vision changed all white. 

Welp.

*

Seungcheol frowned when he saw how pale Jeonghan’s face looked like, even though he looked fine a few minutes ago, even when he exclaimed how nervous he was. Was that person suddenly got sick? Seungcheol looked at how he tried to hold himself up, keep talking to people and he suddenly felt anger inside his chest. Seungcheol walked through the crowd toward Jeonghan’s direction when he realized that Jeonghan started to look worse than before, in such instant. Seungcheol frowned more. Something was definitely wrong. His intention was to scold him at first, but now he felt a little bit worried. He was so close to reach Jeonghan when Joshua shouted his name and Seungcheol saw him collapsed in front of his eyes. Seungcheol caught Jeonghan in one swoop, avoided any chance of physical injury for Jeonghan’s body. Jeonghan’s fall made a couple of women screamed and situation became chaos in a second. It was a total chaos even before a minute pass, but the King showed no interest at the matter at all. Kim Yeonsoo was about to handle the situation when he suddenly heard a shout.

“All of you, be quiet!” Seungcheol actually took the initiative to take over the situation. Hearing that made Yeonsoo froze in his seat. Seungcheol short notice made the Hall actually went quiet in a few seconds. His body might be small but he already got the charisma of a Prince inside of him, people followed him without questioning. The Princes who were clueless about what happened followed what their oldest brother order.

“Joshua, come here,” he called for Joshua who was nearby. Joshua nodded and walked pass a couple of people toward Jeonghan and Seungcheol worriedly. Seungcheol made a contact with his eyes, coding that he will pass Jeonghan to Joshua which Joshua accepted with his body language to take him over. Joshua opened his arms wide and Seungcheol passed Jeonghan carefully while the whole Hall waited in silence. It was only a few seconds but it felt so long with the cold silence in the air.

“The Ninth Prince Jeonghan was poisoned,” Seungcheol announced loudly. Loud gasps were heard from the entire Hall.

“Until we find the poisoner, no one can leave this place,” he announced with cold voice. “All of the guards, check all guest’s belonging!” one order from Seungcheol and all of the guards left their posts and started to check the guests. All of the Princes gathered even without order from Seungcheol.

“H-how about Jeonghan-Hyungnim’s condition?” Chan asked as soon as he arrived at the scene.

“He is not conscious,” Joshua shook his head worriedly.

“He will be fine as long as he sleeps,” Seungcheol interrupted.

“How can you know?” Joshua asked again, without any mean to be sarcastic. He was actually asking.

“It’s because we’re Royal Bloods,” Seungcheol started his lesson. “Royal Bloods have blessing from the heaven that make us stronger than normal people, isn’t that one of the lesson you should already take?”

“But I never heard anything about poison,” Joshua answered calmly. Joshua could felt that Seungcheol was uneasy. He really cared a lot about Jeonghan, huh? Talk about archenemy, he acted like how a proper brother would be like. Even though they didn’t look like they get along.

“The Blessing will deal with the poison first,” Seungcheol answered again. “It happened to the King a lot of times. Someone tried to poison him but it ended up in fail because he had Royal Blessing.”

“How’s him?” Soonyoung looked out of breath and worried as he arrived. It seemed like he was at the other side of the Hall and ran through the crowds to get there. MIngyu followed him from behind. Joshua knew that Soonyoung liked Jeonghan a lot but he didn’t know he was that fond of him to actually run from the other side of the Hall that was like 100 feet away.

“He is sleeping,” Joshua answered. Soonyoung took a deep breath and nodded. He held Mingyu’s arm for support as he tried to breathe. Mingyu held his elbow to support him. Not long after, Wonwoo approached them from a far. He faced Seungcheol as he arrived.

“Vernon and Seokmin are watching over the investigations since we can’t be sure that all of these guards are really working for us or not,” Wonwoo pointed at the other side of the Hall, Seokmin was looking at the guards checking guest’s belonging. Seungcheol assumed that Vernon was somewhere doing the same thing.

“Good idea,” Seungcheol nodded.

“I’ll make Junhui do it too, you can stay here, Hyungnim,” Wonwoo nodded.

“I want to help too, Hyungnim!” Chan raised his hand and followed Wonwoo. Wonwoo didn’t answer but he waited for Chan before walked through the crowd.

“I’ll do that too,” Soonyoung looked at Seungcheol. Seungcheol nodded at him, showed his approval of the idea. Soonyoung automatically grabbed Mingyu’s wrist and dragged him away to the other side of the Hall that he didn’t covered by other Princes.

Seungcheol took a glance at Jeonghan’s pale face and how he frowned hard as he clenched his fist hard. Seungcheol could see sweats on his forehead, showing his struggle inside. His ash white hair was a little bit wet because of the sweats. Joshua carefully wiped his sweats with a white handkerchief that he had inside his pocket. Seungcheol clenched his fist hard.

Whoever this person is, he won’t let them get away.

At the other side of the Hall, at the east wing to be precise, Wonwoo and Chan met with Soekmin who was observing two of the guards in gold armour who were checking a woman’s bag.

“How is it here?” Wonwoo asked Seokmin. Seokmin looked over his shoulder and he approached his brothers when he saw them.

“Not much really, the investigation went smooth, though,” Soekmin pointed at the guards and whispered. “I don’t think they’re doing anything shady, Hyungnim.”

“Keep your eyes open,” Wonwoo warned Seokmin. Seokmin nodded. After that he looked at Wonwoo liked he was about to ask something but he held himself back after opening his mouth. It pissed Wonwoo off so he asked directly about it. “What? If you want to ask something do it now quick, I need to check the other guards too.”

“Uh, no, I’m just wondering… is Joshua-Hyungnim doing okay there?” Seokmin played his fingers. “No, I mean, uh, he is really close with Jeonghan-Hyungnim and he might be a little bit surprise, or maybe shocked… his health is not good either, so I’m just wondering…”

“He is doing as great as ever,” Wonwoo sighed. “Seungcheol-Hyungnim is the one who lost his head. It’s the first time ever he took over the lead in a big scaled situation like this on his own. He would never do this before.”

“Ah, now you’re saying that, it’s weird that Seungcheol-Hyungnim actually wanted to take over by himself,” Seokmin just realized. “And you actually are doing this by your own initiative, Wonwoo-Hyungnim. It’s also out of character for you.”

Wonwoo hummed. “Well, it’s the first time ever I feel like I’m on the same side with other people,” he looked at the centre of the Hall where Seungcheol at. “I guess I’m actually the loyal kind.”

Seokmin smiled when he heard that. “Yeah, I think so too, Hyungnim. But that’s a little bit overly confident saying that yourself.”

“That’s the truth,” Wonwoo shrugged. “I will check the south side, come with me Chan.”

Chan who was staring at the guards as his hyung were talking nodded and followed Wonwoo. Wonwoo met Junhui nearby the centre and asked him to go to the west side of the Hall and observe the guards who were doing the checking. Junhui agreed after he made sure that Jeonghan was okay. 

Chan followed Wonwoo to the south side of the Hall. Wonwoo looked at the guards who were checking the stuffs at the south side. “Chan, I will give you a quick lesson.”

“Huh? Uh, yes Hyungnim,” Chan was surprised by the sudden sentence. Wonwoo was never the type to make small talks after all.

“Usually people who do bad things have two choices as their next step after committing the crime,” Wonwoo started. Chan looked at Wonwoo who was staring intensely to the checking area.

“Two?” Chan raised his eyebrows, curious. “What are those?”

“First is to hide. They can hide the evidence, hide themselves, or blend with the crowd to hide their very presence.”

“And the second one?” Chan asked.

“To obviously show themselves so people would overlook the small details. Also a form of hiding, actually, but it’s more daring I should say.”

“Obviously show themselves? What do you mean by that, Hyungnim?” Chan looked confused.

Wonwoo didn’t answer Chan and suddenly he held one of the guard’s wrists and then twisted him, brought him down to the ground. People who were surrounding them gasped in harmony. Wonwoo always been tall even though he was only twelve, but with his body people wouldn’t expect him to threw a guard off the floor with one hand.

“You take something from the woman over there, Duchess Yeon from West Han,” Wonwoo pointed at a woman in dark purple dress.

“You dare to poison a Prince in the middle of a party and even involving one of the guards,” Wonwoo stared at Duchess Yeon, looking pale and weak. “The First Prince is not merciless but he is fierce. I want to know what kind of punishment will you and your family get.”

Duchess Yeon suddenly gritted her teeth and she screamed in agony.

“HOW CAN A PEASANT BE A MEMBER OF ROYAL FAMILY?! I’M HELPING HIM TO BE FREE FROM YOU, ROYAL DOGS WHO ARE THE DEVIL HIMSELF!” her eyes were red and tears streamed through her face.

“My son… MY SON! THAT PEDHOPIL KILLED MY SON!” she pointed at the throne and then she screamed loudly, echoed in the wide Hall filled with hundreds of people. She opened her mouth wide and then bit her tongue in one bite and shrieked loud, blood ran through her mouth real quick. People screamed and shout, a couple of guards tried to stop her but she took a bottle nearby and threw it on the floor. With one of the sharp edge she stabbed herself on her stomach. The guards held her after she stabbed herself. Wonwoo gritted his teeth.

“What are you doing, are you blind!? Try to stop her bleeding! No one dies without our consent in this holy area!” Wonwoo shouted. Seungcheol approached the commotion as soon as he heard the scream, Soonyoung and Mingyu followed. Duchess Yeon seemed to lose her consciousness when Seungcheol arrived. Seungcheol clicked his tongue in frustration.

“The poisoner is under arrest and will be judged by our Kingdom’s rule,” Seungcheol announced. “All the guests here would be witnesses for this case. Now, the guards will check you before you can leave the Palace; the Party will end here.”

The King stood up and walked away, without saying anything. Prime Minister Kim Yeonsoo followed the King, believing that the Princes would handle it themselves. Seungcheol glared to the King as he walked to the door, the Flowers followed him from behind. The sea of people divided by two, making a path as the King walked. Seungcheol walked to stop him which took Soonyoung, Wonwoo, Mingyu and Chan by surprise. Seungcheol really acted out of character today.

“I need your Flowers to be checked too,” Seungcheol said in cold tone. The King frowned at him.

“What did you say?” was the first sentence that spoken by the King since the chaos started.

“I said your Flowers need to be checked too. If you didn’t hear it before, Duchess Yeon’s son was one of the Flower and he died so she seek revenge, Your Highness,” Seungcheol explained. “Higher chance that one of the Flowers is involved. Or maybe more people, we need to seek through. Isn’t being cautious is a must, since the prophecy said that ‘Ten Princes shall gather in the Palace’? People who didn’t want ‘Ten Princes’ to gather is disobeying this Kingdom’s rule and this Kingdom’s wisdom. We need to be thorough with this important case, Your Highness,” he continued to press the King.

The King stared at Seungcheol for quite a while, making the whole Hall was drowned with tensed silence, yet Seungcheol looked like he was challenging the King with his small body. The King looked away from him and walked to the door.

“Do whatever you must do.”

Seungcheol clenched his fist and bowed at his direction.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

*

Jeonghan opened his eyes. His whole body was hurting and his eyes were suffering from sudden amount of lights so he squinted and tried to adapt. He could feel that he was on a bed and a warm blanket covered his body up to his chest. The ceiling looked familiar, it’s his and Joshua’s room. Jeonghan blinked and tried to look at his side, finding Joshua was sleeping on his own bed with one other person which he couldn’t really see who and someone else slept on the chair that was placed in front of their fireplace, usually kept burnt because Joshua was sensitive to cold. Jeonghan tried to see the person who was sitting on the chair.

Seungcheol?

What is he doing here?

No wait, he was supposed to be at the Ball! What happened again? Jeonghan let out a soft growl when he felt his aching back acted up because he tried to sit. He gave up and let himself fell on the bed again. He took a deep breath, his lungs felt like it was coming back from a suffocating place since breathing felt hard now.

“Don’t wake up yet, you’re still recovering from the poison that you drank,” the familiar deep voice made Jeonghan looked at the person who said it. Jeonghan sighed. It was indeed the drink that he drank. How stupid could he be? 

“How long did I passed out?” his voice came out raspy, he tried to clear his throat but it didn’t really work and only made his dry throat ached.

“Almost one day,” Seungcheol looked at the window, tried to guess what time it was from the moon’s position. He stood up, took a glass of water nearby the fireplace, and walked at Jeonghan’s bed. “Now you need to reflect your dumb action.”

Jeonghan sighed again. “Sorry,” his voice was still rusty. Seungcheol helped and held Jeonghan’s head with his left hand and held the glass to make Jeonghan drink it with his right hand. Jeonghan drank a few gulps before he said his thanks. Seungcheol didn’t answer and just put the glass on the table near Jeonghan’s head.

“I thought you already learn to not just drink and eat everything that’s given to you just like that,” Seungcheol said it again, his voice was definitely cold and his expression was unpredictable. Jeonghan bit his chapped lip, remembering what he learnt in class just a few days ago.

“I-I’m not used to it. Sorry, I really am, Seungcheol-ah,” Jeonghan pleaded with his eyes to Seungcheol. Seungcheol sighed and sat on the spot beside Jeonghan on his bed. Jeonghan was a little bit relieved when he saw Seungcheol’s expression turned gentle.

“Don’t be like that again, I thought I’m going crazy,” he ruffled his hair. Jeonghan blinked at the sight. It was such a rare experience to see Seungcheol actually lost himself, being relaxed and even ruffled his own hair. Jeonghan just realized that the boy was more handsome that he was ever seen. Maybe he never really pays attention before?

“Sorry, really,” Jeonghan tried to held Seungcheol’s hand and squeezed it weakly since he still didn’t have that much energy in his body. There was nothing like IV drips in this world, Jeonghan literally didn’t eat anything for an entire day. Maybe he should invent IV drips later!

Seungcheol looked at him, and somehow Jeonghan could see his pained expression now. Jeonghan felt like the bottom of his stomach was punched by a blunt object, he suddenly felt hurt inside looking at that expression. Jeonghan hated that. He didn’t want to see that expression on his face. Jeonghan raised his hand and hugged Seungcheol’s neck weakly, making Seungcheol bent down so Jeonghan could do it without straining his arm too much. Jeonghan finally hugged Seungcheol with both of his hand and pulled him closer. Seungcheol rested his head on Jeonghan’s shoulder and pillow, making sure his weight was more on the pillow than his shoulder. His hands were holding Jeonghan’s clothes on his sides. Somehow Jeonghan blanket was already pulled down to his hips.

“I can’t say sorry too much since it will lose its meaning, but I really don’t know what to say to make you feel better. Please stop looking like that, it’s hurting me too,” Jeonghan whispered to minimize the usage of energy.

“Stop being reckless, I beg you,” Seungcheol whispered back to his ear with his deep voice. Somehow his warm breath making Jeonghan felt a little bit ticklish. Jeonghan felt a little bit regret for not being able to see his expression when he said that, but having Seungcheol’s body close to him was a good feeling. Somehow he could felt his heart beating faster, was he having another side effect of the poison?

“I won’t do this again in the future,” Jeonghan tried to calm Seungcheol down. His voice was really desperate, nothing like what he always been. He just knew Seungcheol for about a month after all, he didn’t know that much about him. Maybe he should take this opportunity to learn more about him. And other Princes too, of course.

Jeonghan didn’t hear anything but Seungcheol’s breathe for a few seconds. “Seungcheol-ah, you will hurt your back if you keep this position…” bending his back down to the right while sitting didn’t look like a healthy position after all.

“Ah-“ Jeonghan gasped when he suddenly felt Seungcheol’s lip on his neck. He couldn’t help but nervously sweating, his heart beating faster than before. Jeonghan blinked when he felt Seungcheol opened his mouth on his skin.

“Seu-Seungcheol-ah… What are you-“

He felt a hot tongue on his skin and Jeonghan bit his lip to stop himself from making sound. His whole body jolted in surprise, but his hands were still hugging Seungcheol. He felt Seungcheol’s teeth were gently scrapping his skin, as he softly sucked the skin. Jeonghan could felt his whole body trembled and got hotter than before. Jeonghan’s right hand moved lower and grabbed Seungcheol’s arm, tried to find holding, while his left hand still hugging him. Seungcheol kept on sucking and scrapping for a few times before he finally let Jeonghan go and moved upward, to see Jeonghan’s face.

Seeing how red and breathless the person under him was making Seungcheol felt better and smirked.

“It’s a punishment for being reckless.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Jeongcheol thirst is a little bit quenched :)   
> I like making this story so much, I enjoy seeing how far I can go with this new world I made. Nothing R related yet since they're still 13 I don't want to be a criminal hahaha (says the one who made the King is fucking pedophil but too grossed out to actually tell anything about what happened inside the room)
> 
> Well, thank you for reading! ^^


	9. Aftermatch

Joshua frowned when he saw his brother buttoned up his pyjama up to the top. Wouldn’t it suffocate him? He was eating porridge and a cup of warm tea on his bed, with a mini table you could put on bed. Usually they had breakfast on the table that was placed in the right side of the room, near the window, but today Jeonghan ate his breakfast on the bed and Joshua, Chan and Seungcheol had sandwiches for breakfast so they didn’t need to leave their spots.

“I need to go and check the guard’s reports with Wonwoo and Soonyoung,” Seungcheol stood up.

“Oh-uh,” Jeonghan put back the spoon full with porridge he was about to eat. “Um, take care. Thank you for waiting here. I-um, I guess see you later?”

Joshua frowned more when he saw how nervous Jeonghan acted. Something definitely happened between him and Seungcheol. This morning Jeonghan woke up like he was already awoke before, maybe he talked with Seungcheol last night when Joshua and Chan were sleeping? Joshua should investigate his best friend slash brother later.

Seungcheol looked at him with his normal expressionless face and nodded, after that he walked away. Somehow, Joshua could feel Seungcheol’s uneasiness disappeared. He was so prickly yesterday, now he acted like how he usually does. It added up Joshua’s theory that something must happened between them last night. Jeonghan’s eyes followed Seungcheol as he walked away, making Joshua almost threw a pillow to him.

“Stop staring, you will make a hole on his back,” Joshua mentioned his thought. Jeonghan rolled his eyes.

“Thank you again Chan, for waiting here for me as well,” Jeonghan smiled at the youngest. Chan smiled happily. “I’ve done nothing! I’m so glad you’re okay, Jeonghan-Hyungnim!”

“I like sleeping with you, you should come and sleep with us again sometimes,” Joshua hugged Chan’s small body, making him laughed. “Don’t baby me!”

Jeonghan smiled looking at them. Inside his heart he relieved that he was the one who was poisoned, not Chan. He would never survive the guilt if something happened to their youngest brother. Was the main character poisoned as well in the novel? Damn, Jeonghan couldn’t remember. 

“Tell me the details of what happened,” Jeonghan asked as he drank his tea.

“You talked with a couple of people. I saw the lady who gave you the drink, she was Duchess Yeon, apparently she was Duchess from West of Han Kingdom, and her child was one of the Flowers,” Joshua explained. Jeonghan frowned.

“Was?” he tilted his head. Chan looked dejected when he heard the term and Joshua looked into Joenghan’s eyes even though he was 10 feet apart. “Remember the kid that died because he was too young for sexual intercourse? She was his mother.”

Jeonghan lost he energy on his hand and almost drop the cup on his hand, luckily he able to bring himself back before making any mess. He put the cup back but he couldn’t hide his trembling hands. His mind was at mess, he tried to picture how it felt like to be the mother of the kid that was killed because of an old man’s nasty hobby.

“I will tell you the short story. So Duchess Yeon knew that something was up because one of her son’s friend giving her letters. The friend didn’t mean any harm, she just wanted her friend’s mother to know what happened. Duchess Yeon was in agony when she knew her son was died, she was blaming herself for being a coward and letting the King had her son. Apparently, you were somehow looked like her child and that friend of her son told her about that. So she thought that you might be corrupted or something if you live here and decided to kill you, to ‘fulfil’ her fantasy of helping her own child,” Joshua explained.

“The Hyungnim decided to keep about the ‘friend’ a secret and not letting a single guard know about that ‘friend’. Duchess Yeon was sentenced to death tomorrow and her family stripped from their title, all of their wealth would be confiscated by the Kingdom,” Chan explained. Jeonghan clenched his fist and frowned hard. He was about to protest when Joshua made a stop gesture with his hand.

“Let me explain more. For your information, Duchess Yeon was already in critical condition and won’t live much longer, she was the one who begged to Wonwoo-ya to kill her so she could be with her son. She already bit her tongue and stabbed herself on the stomach, her wounds were too severe,” Joshua knew this part would be Jeonghan’s main problem so he decided to explain about it first. “Duchess Yeon lived with her daughter, she was adopted by Lee’s family after what happened since they were close. Jihoon-nim’s family, remember him?”

Jeonghan nodded.

“Soonyoung-ah didn’t seem to talk that much with him, but Jihoon-ssi was pretty much agree to be the part of our coalition,” Joshua added.

Jeonghan sighed. “That was a big mess… Why was I so stupid and just drink whatever they gave me…”

“It’s not your fault,” Chan said quickly. “It’s bound to happen, people hated us after all.”

Joshua was surprised to hear what Chan said. Joshua sighed and patted him on his head. “People don’t hate you. They just don’t know you. And it’s not really important whether they like you or not, what’s important is how you comport yourself.”

Chan smiled when he felt Joshua’s hand on his head. He was so awkward when they touched him before, but now he looked comfortable to be patted and hugged.

“I need to go to my class so I will pardon myself first,” Chan jumped off the bed and walked to the door. “Get well soon, Hyungnim!”

After Chan closed the door from outside, Joshua jumped off his bed and ran to Jeonghan’s bed, sat on his side. Jeonghan was so surprised he tried to hide himself unconsciously.

“Whoa, easy, man! You gonna spill my tea!”

Joshua took the mini table and put it away on the nearest table. After that he sat on Jeonghan’s side again and stared at him. “What happened between you and the First Prince?” Joshua asked.

Jeonghan coughed when he heard the question. He unconsciously tried to run away from Joshua’s gaze and looked away. “No-nothing.”

“Shut up, you are bad at lying to me,” Joshua said impatiently. “And what’s with this collar being buttoned up? You’re so weird.”

Jeonghan instinctively covered a part of his neck with his hand and his face flushed red. “I just-feel.. a little bit cold.”

Joshua frowned when heard that and about to say something when his mind finally caught up with the scene that happened in front of his eyes. “Jeonghan!? Did Seungcheol made a hickey on you!?”

Joshua forced Jeonghan’s weakened hand to move and he saw a dark brown spot on Jeonghan’s neck. Jeonghan’s face got redder up to his ears. He bit his lip. “It was… uh… an accident.”

“Sure, the First Prince made a hickey on you by _accident_ ,” Joshua said sarcastically. 

“No, I mean… ugh,” Jeonghan buried his face on his own hands. “He was so cute I can’t resist,” Jeonghan whined.

Joshua hugged himself and pretended he was cold, rubbing his arms with his hands. “I got chills on my body, oh my God it must be a sign that something worse will happen.”

“Shut up,” Jeonghan threw one of a pillow to Joshua in embarrassment. Joshua rolled his eyes.

“Look, I don’t have any problem if you want to do something with the Prince, but you’re still underage!” Joshua nagged with hands on his hips. Jeonghan was prepared to be called disgusting but Joshua’s ‘underage nag’ was making him chuckled and lower down his tension.

“It’s not like that, it’s just… we’re talking seriously and the situation somehow ended up being like that.”

“I thought it was only my imagination, but Seungcheol is actually treats you differently, huh,” Joshua said in calm manner. Jeonghan raised his eyebrows.

“Huh? What do you mean by that?”

“There were a lot of small things before, but the way he reacted in the party made me sure. He ran as soon as you collapsed and caught you first. His persona collapsed as soon as he saw you unconscious. He took over the lead on finding the culprit, so no one could escape. He even stopped the King from going to ask him to hand over his Flowers for investigation,” Joshua explained.

“What!? He stopped the King!? And asked for Flowers!?” Jeonghan almost shout. Asking for Flowers was just like asking to be punished to death. Even Seungcheol himself always forbid the Princes to have anything to do with the Flowers. Joshua nodded.

“The King gave him the Flowers to investigate. Seungcheol-ssi could be dangerously reckless if he wanted to.”

Jeonghan frowned and clenched his fist. What an idiot! What if something happened to him because of this matter?! Everybody knew messing with Flowers could cost your life!

“After that he had been leading for further investigation until this point. He cancelled all of his meetings and classes, with Wonwoo-ya and Soonyoung-ah, they kept working on the case. That was the reason why we could find out the truth quickly, because they worked nonstop and he insisted no one could take the lead other than the Princes. After that he visited you at night and stayed here until morning, sleeping on the chair there,” Joshua pointed at the chair. Jeonghan stared at the chair.

“If that’s not ‘treating you different’ I don’t know what is,” Joshua shrugged. “I don’t hate him, he is pretty okay, I guess.”

Jeonghan blushed when he heard that.

“I don’t understand what are you talking about!”

*

“Are you okay?” Junhui asked as soon as Minghao entered the room. Minghao sighed and smiled.

“Yes. Aren’t we here for investigation?” Minghao looked at Seungcheol who was reading a document. Wonwoo was beside him, also reading some documents.

“Yes we are, and this idiot couldn’t stop bothering us to let him in when it’s your turn,” Seungcheol put down his documents and looked at Minghao. Minghao held his chuckles in and Junhui glared at Seungcheol.

“You’re somehow became meaner, Hyungnim. I wonder if Jeonghan-Hyungnim rubbed it off to you,” Junhui walked to Minghao and escorted him to his chair. Wonwoo was the one who held in his chuckles now.

“Is he okay?” Minghao asked Jeonghan’s condition. Minghao liked the guy, he was kind and bringing good influence for the Princes. They looked more relaxed and closer with each other since the new Princes came into the castle. Junhui always looked stressed out even though he smiled, but now his smiles looked more genuine.

“He is, for now,” Seungcheol said briefly.

“He is conscious now,” Junhui added with a smiled. Minghao nodded when he heard that.

“I actually only have one question for you,” Seungcheol started. “Are you sure there were no one involved in the actual poisoning?”

Minghao shook his head. “The Flowers are all in their places because I and Eunwoo had the habit to count the heads whenever we’re in big party like this, not to add if there was big commotion going. We can’t afford to lose one head and get punished later.”

Junhui’s face darkened when he heard the word ‘punish’. Minghao smiled at Junhui when he sensed that Junhui was getting angry. “We’re fine.”

“Okay, I just need to make sure about that. You can take your time and talk with each other, we only have five minutes left, roughly,” Seungcheol said and he came back to his documents, making some notes with his pen. Mostly the investigation was done but he just wanted to make sure. He was a little bit grateful that they had at least one Flower they could trust. Not a hundred per cent but it was enough for him to believe the information he just got.

Junhui dragged a chair and sat near Minghao. “You okay? How’s the Flowers Tower after the accident?”

Minghao nodded and smiled. “I’m fine. Nothing really change, the talk about ‘the friend’ never happen. Her identity is also still kept quiet.”

“Great,” Junhui nodded. He held Minghao’s skinny hand and looked at him worriedly. “If only I can take you with me.”

Minghao was getting embarrassed and pulled his hand back. “S-stop saying that. You know it’s impossible if I’m still a Flower.”

“We decided to take it down,” Junhui stared into Minghao’s eyes and took his hands and held them again.

“Huh?” Minghao looked confused.

“We will take over the throne in a few years and take Flowers Tower down,” Junhui looked sure. “I want you to help me too. Help us, to be precise.”

Minghao looked at Seungcheol and Wonwoo who now looked at him with serious looks. Minghao’s mouth was half opened, he looked at Junhui once again. “You guys planning coup d’etat?”

“It’s the plan,” Junhui said again with a nod. “We’re gathering forces.”

Minghao’s eyes got teary and his squeezed Junhui’s hands for the first time. His long lashes looked a little bit wet. “If that’s the case, then can I be free to choose my future?”

Junhui smiled gently.

“Yes.”

Seungcheol and Wonwoo heard the conversation in silence. Wonwoo remembered how the other Prince’s mother condition before they died before. He didn’t remember his own mother since she died way before he could remember, but Mingyu and Chan’s mothers were definitely hated the fact that they were trapped inside a Tower for an old man nasty kink. Wonwoo hated thinking about how those gentle women were treated inside the Tower, that was the reason why he always dodging the talk about Flowers and such. It was never been a secret but Wonwoo also never really talked about it either. He felt grateful that Jeonghan and Joshua came and proposed to make alliances between the Princes before anyone else were making themselves their backups or anything.

“I’m fine now, I’ll go. I will definitely tell you if something happened, I’ll be more than happy to join this coup d’etat if I can help in anyway,” Minghao looked at Seungcheol. Seungcheol nodded at him which answered by a polite bow by Minghao. He was about to leave and Junhui squeezed his hand.

“Don’t believe anyone other than the Princes. Even if your closest friend in the Tower, it’s not a safe time, looking at how someone successes poisoning Jeonghan-Hyungnim.”

Minghao smiled. “I know. I won’t say a word to anyone, I promise.”

Junhui looked pained and he squeezed Minghao’s hand harder. “It might be hard but I won’t be at the library for a few months or the King will take the chance to do something worse to you.”

Minghao raised his eyebrows and chuckled. “I need to give my thanks for the Ninth and Tenth Princes. After they arrived here, you changed a lot better, you became more rational. The Princes even started to drop honorific with the younger Princes.”

Seungcheol and Wonwoo pretended they didn’t hear that. They should admit that Jeonghan and Joshua’s habit rubbing off them. After the emergency situation yesterday which they should move quick and they didn’t really had time to think about honorifics, the way they talked to each other just changed like that. No one really talking about that or mentioning that so they decided to continue it since it was way more convenient, but hearing someone else talking about it was a little bit embarrassing.

“Well, they’re indeed amazing. I think we lived inside this place too long, seeing people from outside stating such simple things moved us a lot,” Junhui didn’t even embarrassed to admit it. “I promise that I will do whatever it takes to make you free and protect you.”

Minghao smiled warmly and stood up. His skinny figure looked a lot brighter, his pale skin somehow looked even more beautiful in this room dim light. His hair was a little bit long it moved slightly when he moved. His eyelashes caught Junhui’s attention as his beautiful eyes looked into his own eyes. He let Junhui’s hand go and flicked his forehead softly and gave him a playful smile. “Cheesy. I can protect myself.”

He walked away and Junhui was left with flushed red face.

“That’s one hell of a flirting scene we just watch,” Wonwoo couldn’t stop himself from commenting. “I don’t want to see something like that again in the future, please.”

Seungcheol agreed silently.

“Th-that wasn’t my intention,” Junhui looked flustered and he tried to collect himself by ruffling his hair.

“Well, as long as we do our job right we can take the Flowers Tower down. Be patient and do your part well, Jun-ah,” Seungcheol said to Junhui without taking his eyes off the document he was reading. Junhui hesitated but he decided to talk.

“Hyungnim, I’m sorry about before,” he suddenly said his apologize, making Seungcheol frowned and stopped reading. He looked at Junhui, puzzled. “For what?”

“For saying that you don’t care about us,” Junhui scratched his neck. “It was insensitive of me, I was too busy thinking about myself and Minghao, I didn’t realize your intention was to keep me safe. Jeonghan-Hyungnim said that I was being a dick for saying that to you.”

Wonwoo looked amazed with what he just heard. He never knew that something like this happened before, what a fine tea.

And what was more amazing that Seungcheol cracked a soft smile when he heard Jeonghan’s name being mentioned. “He said it? What a busybody,” Seungcheol said softly. “And it’s fine, I don’t really mind nor I upset because of it. As long as you understand now.”

Wonwoo frowned when he saw that. It was a hundred times weirder than everything Wonwoo ever seen. He looked at Junhui who was shrugging.

“Jeonghan-Hyungnim definitely done something to our First Prince, he changed into a normal person now.”

*

Vernon sat on a bench near the garden. The sunshine was dazzling but he didn’t want to stop looking.

He took a deep breath and looked at the sky.

Vernon didn’t want to admit it, but when he heard that Jeonghan was poisoned, he panicked, as much as he was when he heard that Chan’s mother died. He never really met with his own mother, but he knew Chan’s mother and was raised by her as well, the only figure he could see as a ‘parental’ figure. It was might be the other reason why the Princes were so protective of Chan, because his mother was the last parental figure that they ever had before she died. Chan gave off the familiar presence with his mother, it was making the Princes liked him more, even though they never talked about it before.

“Whoa, how handsome, ups!”

Vernon looked at the side, at a boy who was a little bit taller than him, using a straw hat to cover his head from the sun and covered his mouth with both of his hands. His hair was a little bit wavy and had brown-reddish colour. His cheeks were plump and red, his eyes wondered as he tried to find words. He used overall blue jeans with one of the strap undone and a white tee short sleeves tee inside.

“S-sorry to offend you, Your Highness,” that boy bowed. Vernon ignored him and looked at the sky again.

“Um.. If you don’t mind, can I accompany you?” he asked. Vernon frowned when he heard that. It was the first time ever someone, a gardener too, dared to ask something to him. He left the question hanging for a while but the boy didn’t go away.

“Do whatever you want,” Vernon finally responded.

“Thank you!” the boy smiled happily and walked to the bench and sat on the other edge of the bench. He held the top of his straw hat and looked up.

“Your Highness, aren’t your eyes hurting? You look at the sky without any head protection,” he asked curiously.

“No,” Vernon answered shortly but it was enough to make the boy smiled.

“It must be hurting,” he said with cheerful tone and took off his hat, placed it in front of Vernon’s face, which took him by surprise. Vernon looked at the boy who was grinning widely. His face was red but he looked happy.

“It’s such a shame for a beauty to be hurt by sunshine,” he stood up. “I’m sorry for being rude, I just like pretty things, so it’s like a habit to protect them. Pardon my intrusion!”

He was about to walk away when he felt a sudden grip on his wrist. Vernon stood up and looked him into his eyes.

“You know I am a Prince, right?”

“Y-Yes, Your Highness,” now the boy felt a little bit regret for letting his curiosity took over. Whatever, it’s not a waste! He was really handsome!

“Then what makes you dare to talk to me?” Vernon asked again. The boy closed his eyes tightly and decided to just let out his feeling and thought honestly.

“Because you’re so handsome! I will never regret dying after seeing someone so handsome in my entire life! I rather die than not doing things that I want to do!” he spat out everything he had in his mind. He kept his eyes shut tight, but then he heard a laugh from the Prince’s direction so he opened his eyes and ended up looking at his favourite face laughing widely, making him stunned at the sight.

“You’re so amusing!” Vernon wiped tears from his eyes and patted his shoulder. “I like you. What is your name?”

“Uh, me? Boo… Seungkwan, Your Highness.”

“You will be my private maid for today!” Vernon declared suddenly.

“Eh-what!?”

*

“Vernon-ah!” Jeonghan frowned at his dongsaeng. It was the first time ever he yelled at Vernon since the first time he arrived here. Even though he felt like his energy was about to be dried up after one shout, he didn’t let himself looked weak. Even though Vernon was standing up beside his bed and Jeonghan still couldn’t stand up so he scolded him while sitting down on his bed. Vernon on the other side was pouting, he looked displeased with how Jeonghan treated him but he stood still. It’s been years since the last time someone yelled at him like this. Joshua was sighing on the chair nearby the window while a new looking boy in maid dress standing up nearby the fireplace nervously, he kept playing with his fingers.

“You can’t just take someone out of nowhere and bring them without their consent! They’re not an animal!” Jeonghan looked angry. “You are my brother, I won’t let you act like _that person_!”

Vernon frowned hard and clenched his fist but he looked down. “I’m not acting like him.”

“You say this is not like that person?” Jeonghan looked at the kid who was standing there, looked uncomfortable. “Making someone uncomfortable and take them to do whatever you want?”

“But I’m treating him well!” Vernon stomped his feet. Joshua was surprised to see how Vernon actually listened to Jeonghan well. He always liked Jeonghan, but Joshua didn’t expect him to like Jeonghan this much, to actually listen to his nags. Vernon always looked like someone who was free and didn’t like to be restricted. He ignored things he didn’t like and often acted like he couldn’t hear what other people said.

Jeonghan sighed and looked at the boy. “Little boy, I’m sorry to make you uncomfortable. What is your name?”

“U-uh.. I’m Boo Seungkwan, Your Highness,” he answered with trembled voice. Jeonghan pitied the boy when he heard his trembled voice. It must be really nervous wracking for a young boy like him, played around by a Prince and couldn’t fight back.

“I’m sorry that my brother making you does this, Seungkwan-goon. I only heard about it from another maid, but I heard he’d been making you follow him around since afternoon. It must be tiring and embarrassing, you even using girl’s dress. If you hate it, you can leave,” Jeonghan said in the gentlest voice he could.

Seungkwan glanced at Vernon who was looking dejected and sad at the side, but he didn’t show it and only made angry face. Seungkwan played with his fingers again.

“Um… dressing up as a girl is really embarrassing, but I don’t mind being dragged around by Prince Vernon,” Seungkwan declared. “Looking at him is like looking at a garden filled with beautiful flowers, it makes me feel good and happy so I like him.”

Jeonghan raised his eyebrows. “Huh?” What kind of comparison was that?

Vernon’s face brightened when he heard that. “See? It wasn’t without consent!” he gained his confidence back.

“Are you sure?” Jeonghan asked Seungkwan again. Seungkwan nodded shyly.

“I don’t mind to accompany Prince Vernon again in the future, as long as I’m not forced to wear dress.”

Jeonghan sighed and looked at Vernon. “I don’t have any problem if you get his consent. But don’t make him wear dress again, _ever_ ,” Jeonghan stressed the word ever. Vernon grinned.

“I won’t. Since he is a maid, I made him used the dress. Tomorrow he can be a secretary, or a butler,” Vernon nodded to himself.

“He is not your plaything, treat him like a human being,” Jeonghan warned Vernon again. Vernon rolled his eyes.

“I know! Stop acting like an old man, you are not that much older than me! Just keep resting, be glad you are not died yet and stop worrying about weird things!” Vernon ran and took Seungkwan by his hand, dragged him along and went out from the room. Joshua chuckled when he saw Vernon ran away. Jeonghan clicked his tongue.

“That brat! I thought he is somewhat smart, but at the end he is just a kid!” Jeonghan grunted. Joshua chuckled longer.

“It’s nice like this, than to see him acting twisted. I like seeing him acted like a kid,” Joshua walked to Jeonghan’s bed. Jeonghan remembered the first day ever they had the first Royal Banquet, the day when he saw how Princes hated their life in the castle for the first time.

“You’re right,” Jeonghan agreed softly. “I think I’m sensitive because of my condition. I hope Vernon didn’t feel like I was accusing him for being bad or anything.”

“I think he understood, but I’ll talk to him again if I see him later,” Joshua tried to rest assure Jeonghan. Jeonghan nodded at him.

“Great thing you are here, ugh,” Jeonghan sighed and lied back on his bed.

“Of course, we are in this together. You can always count on me,” Joshua smiled and sat on the side of Jeonghan’s bed. “Don’t count me in your nasty love affair, though. The First Prince is not my type.”

Jeonghan’s face turned red and he kicked Joshua in embarrassment. “Stop teasing me! And don’t bring him up, like I said it was an accident!”

Joshua chuckled when he saw Jeonghan got mad because of his new teasing material.

Jeonghan pouted. “You are so annoying, ugh, I will definitely tease you if you have someone you like later!”

Joshua chuckled again. “Feel free to do that, I don’t mind.”

Jeonghan clicked his tongue. But then, he tried to remember, but Joshua actually never really had any romance experience, at least in their past life. Joshua ‘hung out’ with a couple of people but the way Jeonghan saw it, it only looked like he was going out with them out of pity, not that he wanted to do it himself.

“Hey, Shua-ya. I’m curious, what is your type?” Jeonghan suddenly asked.

“Huh? Suddenly?” Joshua was surprised at the sudden question.

“Well, we are always been busy with a lot of stuffs, I think we never really talk about stuff like this either.”

Joshua looked like he was thinking for a while. “Hm… I never really thinking about it, I think I’m fine with any kind of person, as long as they’re proper.”

“Don’t say that, you will get kicked by a horse and die if you make women cried because of your wide range of selection,” Jeonghan shook his head. Joshua chuckled at how ridiculous his brother was.

“Well, mostly I like kind people. I like someone that has a great smile, and cute.”

“I like that kind of people too, it’s still too wide,” Jeonghan protested.

“So you thought the First Prince is kind, has a great smile and cute?” Joshua grinned playfully at his brother. Jeonghan’s face turned red and he attacked Joshua with a pillow.

“I said stop bringing him up, it was an accident!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boo Seungkwan is finally here~! ^^   
> The story develops from here, I hope you are enjoying this. Thank you for reading! ^^


	10. Execution

Jeonghan kept on scribbling on the paper he was using for notes with his feather pen. He already read the page he was studying for six times but he still couldn’t get what he was reading, his mind wandered around. He looked at the window. It looked like midnight had not passed yet. Joshua was called by Seungcheol just before he was about to sleep but he went anyway. Jeonghan wasn’t allowed to leave the room since he was still weak, he could felt himself getting better but he decided to follow what the doctor said and not do too much activity first. Yes, it definitely wasn’t because he still feel awkward with Seungcheol, not at all.

Jeonghan sighed and rested his back on the pillows those stacked up to support him sitting while lying on his back. They must be talking about it. The execution scheduled tomorrow. Jeonghan clenched his fist tight. Why should people died like that? Why should she die? She just got angry because of what happened to her son. Jeonghan couldn’t imagine if that happened to one of the kid in the orphanage. He definitely would try to kill someone in the Royal Family as well if he was in her shoes. It wasn’t fair for Duchess Yeon, it wasn’t fair for her son, it wasn’t fair for her family.

Jeonghan thought that this second life was a second chance for him to live differently from what he had before, for him to be able do things he couldn’t do before, but it seemed like he was wrong. It wasn’t only a second chance to do something differently, it was a whole of different story. Different flow of time, different life in general. His background almost stayed the same, he thought it would be the same, but it wasn’t like that at all. He understood that it was definitely a different world, different kind of people, but he didn’t felt like he was living differently from before. It was just he was granted more time with Joshua, more freedom to do whatever he wanted to do because he was raised with love in the orphanage, filled with kind-hearted people and people who actually cared about him. He took that life for granted, thinking that the castle would symbolized how rich and people in power live.

He was totally wrong. He might get a second life, but it wasn’t to make up what he couldn’t do before. It was more like to decide what he gonna do if he live in different eras, different worlds, different chances, different choices, different circumstances. It wasn’t a game. It’s another life he should defend, another life he should working on, another life he should feel grateful for. It is a real life. People in here live as well. People in the Palace also suffering, the power balance was too one sided. Jeonghan thought he should just live quietly, but at the end, he didn’t want to pretend to be blind by what happened in front of him. It might be messed up, but it’s better to do something than doing nothing after all. At least, he could make up his last live where he was so powerless and couldn’t do anything at all. He wouldn’t waste the chance to do something now.

Maybe being poisoned doing more damages than what he expected. Jeonghan started to think a lot about his purpose and why he was granted second chance to live, and he was given Joshua to add. He might be different person, it might be just Jeonghan’s wishful thinking that he was the same Joshua as the one he loved dearly in his previous life, but he wanted to believe that this Joshua is the same. And even if he was different person, Joshua stayed like what he remembered him to be, so this Joshua already became another ‘Joshua’ that had a special place in Jeonghan’s heart, another brother he should protect. There was no problem whether it was the same Joshua or not, he came to love his second life and people who came in this lifetime as well.

The novel was the reason why he felt a little bit shaken up these days. It felt like a story that written by someone, making Jeonghan felt like he was walking right through what other people decided, and he hated that so bad. Jeonghan tried to avoid that kind of thinking but he just couldn’t shrug it off, it was weighing him down unconsciously. Since the night Seokmin came into their room crying and the alliances with their brothers happened, finally Jeonghan felt like it was himself choosing. Hearing how worried his brothers were making him felt like it wasn’t another people’s life that was just borrowed, it was his own life, that he needed to be responsible for. He might die now or tomorrow, so he needed to live his life to the fullest. Jeonghan loved this life. He loved people in his live. He wanted to accomplish something. For the sake of people in this castle as well. For the chance that he got to love and be loved by other people for the second time.

Jeonghan closed his eyes.

He didn’t know why but the memories he had with the Princes in the castle kept popping in his mind, one after another, until he fell asleep.

*

“Jeonghannie, are you sure you are gonna be okay?” Joshua asked again. Jeonghan smiled and sighed. “What are you waiting for, Seungcheol-ah is waiting, right?”

Joshua looked at his brother worriedly. “Maybe I should stay after all.”

Jeonghan shook his head. “Didn’t you have a role that you should play? It’s important for us to have good reputation, since we’re just peasants in royal attires, right?” Jeonghan grinned and pointed at his own left chest, the place where a gold royal crest should be at if he was wearing his royal attire.

Joshua still looked worried. “It’s fine, I already asked Chan-ah to come over. Maybe Vernonie will come by too, I don’t know,” Jeonghan tried to make Joshua feel better, leaving him alone in their room.

“I know it’s up to you but don’t watch the execution,” Joshua finally said the warning he’d been holding back since the moment he woke up. Jeonghan smiled. “Even if I watch it nothing will change, won’t it? I’ll just be good and stay here.”

“It’s unlikely to happen if you say that, but I guess what you said was logical. I’m off now,” Joshua put his royal cloak and walked outside. A couple of guards were waiting for him outside, silver armours guards those assigned to protect to Royal Family and the castle in general. Joshua took a deep breath and walked outside. It was usually Seungcheol’s job to be presented in front of execution, but since Joshua was still an unknown being, Seungcheol came up with the idea to present him in the execution day so he people knew him and the existence of one other ‘new’ Prince who just got poisoned. The idea was to present how messing with the Royal Family would get you executed, also to make sure that people knew that Joshua and Jeonghan’s positions were as high as other Princes.

Joshua saw Soekmin, waiting nearby the stair toward first floor. Seokmin was looking worried, staring at the stone floor, but when he heard guards coming his way, his face brightened up and he tried to find Joshua. He used his full Royal attire, looking ready for public showdown. “Joshua-Hyungnim,” he ran towards his brother.

“Seokmin-ah! What are you doing here?” Joshua was surprised, because the plan was only him and Seungcheol would present there.

“I asked Seungcheol-Hyungnim to take me there as well… Um, in case you need more moral support… Jeonghan-Hyungnim isn’t there, and I thought you might need more support… I will just stay at the side… Uh, is that unnecessary?” Seokmin suddenly looked down. Joshua smiled and ruffled his head.

“I actually feel a little bit nervous because Jeonghannie is not here today. I’m so glad that you come, it’ll be better if you stay with me,” Joshua smiled warmly. Seokmin’s mood just lit up when he heard it.

“Let’s go together, Hyungnim!” Seokmin looked bright. Joshua nodded and they walked side by side, guarded by eight guards in total. Joshua glanced at the boy beside him, he looked happy as his steps looked light and his eyes were shining. Joshua needed to stop himself from chuckling since Seokmin might think that Joshua laughing at him and it might decrease his self-confidence. Joshua couldn’t forget the night Seokmin barged into their room, breathless and shocked, crying and shaking. He didn’t want it to happen again in the future. He didn’t want any of his brothers to experience something so frightening in their lives. Joshua knew he couldn’t do anything about the past, but he could do something about the future. The discrimination between the rich and poor, the pressuring live and how the King controls Royals and Noblemen by his will. Joshua hated all of that and he wanted it to change. It might a long battle, but it’s not impossible. For that goal, he needs to do this important step. To show himself as a figure that could be called a Prince.

“So you came,” was the first reaction Seungcheol gave when he saw Seokmin and Joshua at the front gate. Seokmin bowed. “Thank you for allowing my selfishness, Hyungnim.”

“It’s fine since you need to learn after all,” Seungcheol said lightly. Joshua glanced at older man who was standing slightly behind Seungcheol. He bowed politely when their eyes met. Joshua bowed back awkwardly, inside his mind he tried to recall his etiquette class and not bowed too low. Joshua looked at the man in navy attire once again. Prime Minister Kim Yeonsoo is always involved, huh?

Seungcheol stared at Joshua for a while, saying nothing. Joshua looked at him weirdly. “If you want to ask something just ask, it’s making me uncomfortable, being stared like that.”

“How’s his condition?” Seungcheol asked directly after Joshua shot him the question.

“Who are you talking about?” Joshua played him. Seungcheol clicked his tongue.

“Who else?!” he looked angry. Joshua chuckled when he saw that. Joshua might catch a little bit of Jeonghan’s playfulness.

“Sorry, sorry, it’s rare to see you making expression, you know. He is fine. He ate his breakfast well, he also drank his medicine,” Joshua told him Jeonghan’s morning activity. “I asked him if he wanted me to stay with him or not, and he said no. I heard that Chan and Vernon will accompany him today. I warned him to not come to the execution too. I think he is doing well, at least he is not as emotional as he was yesterday.”

Seungcheol looked like he was thinking for a while before nodding. “I understand. Let’s go to the Plaza, then. I will go with my horse, you and Seokmin-ah will go with the carriage.”

“You have a horse?” Joshua’s eyes were sparkling. Seungcheol rolled his eyes. “Of course I do. When you get your horse riding lesson, you will get a horse as well. Soonyoung, Wonwoo and Junhui already got theirs.”

“Amazing, I can’t wait!” Joshua looked happy.

“Whatever, we need to go now. The Duchess is sleeping thanks to the medicine we’re giving her, but she doesn’t have that much time left. It’ll be hard on her to keep living like that.”

Joshua looked pained when he heard about Duchess Yeon’s condition. She might try to kill Jeonghan, but she was in deep despair after all. She hated everything and anything because of her loss, and having her son died in the hand of a paedophile who she served must pained her so much. Joshua understood that in this situation he couldn’t do anything to help her other than helping her to die, but it was such a bad story to hear after all.

“Hyungnim, are you okay?” Seokmin’s warm hand held his freezing cold hand. His sparkly eyes looked worried as his fidgety tip toed on the ground. Joshua smiled and squeezed his hand back. “I am, thank you for worrying. Let’s go then.”

Town Plaza wasn’t that far, it took them almost thirty minutes before arriving at the place. There was a giant guillotine ready to use, one made from old wood and a giant blade was ready to behead any neck placed on the wood 5 feet below it. Joshua knew she would be beheaded but he didn’t ready to see this after all. The only death punishment he ever saw was when Seungcheol hung people in the same Town Plaza a few years ago for spying. Joshua squeezed Seokmin’s hand as he saw the guillotine from the carriage’s window and took a deep breath. Seokmin squeezed his hand back.

“Are you okay, Hyungnim? Is this the first time you see a guillotine?” Soekmin asked worriedly. Joshua smiled at the younger boy.

“Yes. I’m a little bit nervous now,” Joshua looked a little bit uncomfortable. “It’s not the first time you see it?”

Seokmin shook his head. “There are guillotines in the Chamber, lots of them. When I was seven or eight years old I was punished and locked in the Chamber, I saw the King beheaded some people by chance.”

Joshua frowned. “You saw someone beheaded in front of you when you were seven years old!?”

“It’s just by chance, since my cell was nearby the guillotines at the time. I didn’t exactly see what happened, though, since I was too weak to even open my eyes. It was blurry but I remembered smelling iron and hearing distant screams. I don’t think I can see it if I’m perfectly fine like now,” Seokmin smiled to make Joshua feel better but it only made Joshua more worried. What was happened to him, for this kid, to the point he couldn’t even open his eyes?

“Seokmin-ah, I never really ask before to anyone about this, but what exactly is a Chamber? It’s different from usual Jail, right? I never heard about this even once outside the castle,” Joshua asked straightforwardly. Joshua always wanted to ask, but he didn’t feel like it’s right to ask. Somehow, he wanted to ask Seokmin now. He just felt like it was the right timing to ask.

“Um, I’m sure you’ve heard that it’s like a punishment place for us, but if I need to explain easier, it’s the King’s personal punishment ‘area’. It’s in the basement nearby the castle, protected but the Golden Royal Guards, King’s Guards themselves. People who lived in the castle were the ones who mostly punished in the Chamber. I don’t know whether it’s a secret or not since I never been outside myself, but in the castle the Chamber’s existence is known well, no one wanted to be sent there, since mostly people died there. The only people who could went out from the Chamber alive were only the Princes and a certain Flower that you knew pretty well, Junhui-Hyungnim’s sweetheart, Xu Minghao. Flowers had their own ways to be punished they usually weren’t sent to Chamber for punishment, but only him could go into the Chamber and went out alive despite of not having Royal Blessing,” Seokmin told Joshua the tale.

“Royal Blessing? What’s the connection between that and the survival of the Princes?” Joshua looked confused.

“You haven’t learn about this yet, Hyungnim? Royal Blessing is like a protection for us, it made us recover faster and our body is basically stronger than normal people. It’s also what helped Jeonghan-Hyungnim from dying since the kind of poison that was used by Duchess Yeon usually killed normal people in a few minutes, but he survived despite of consuming it in quiet large amount. I think Jeonghan-Hyungnim’s body might be a little bit stronger because he used to live outside the castle as well, but it’s just a speculation,” Soekmin explained. Joshua imagined what it felt like to be punished near death like that in such a young age, but he couldn’t. He would never understand since he never experienced it himself. His whole life he was surrounded by nothing but warmth and love, while this younger kid and the other lived in a cold place where they taught to not believe anyone at all.

“Seokmin-ah, from now on, you should tell me everything that weights you down, okay? Don’t keep it by yourself, understand?” Joshua asked. Seokmin’s face blushed a little as he averted his gaze. “I will…”

Joshua ruffled his head. “Good. I think we’ve arrived, let’s get off,” Joshua pointed outside.

The Town Plaza was filled with people, Duchess Yeon’s name was a well-known name after all. Yeon Family from West was the biggest wool provider in Han Kingdom. After her husband death, she ran the family and the business all by herself, trying to keep Yeon Family alive by herself. Yeon Family always had been one of the market drivers, for wool and silver production. The amazing Duchess Yeon was drove to the corner and dying was a huge news for Han Kingdom, once again showing how much the Royals had the highest command in the Kingdom.

Seungcheol was already off his horse, patting its head. Joshua and Seokmin joined Seungcheol in a second. Joshua looked around, he saw a few of familiar faces so he smiled and waved at them. The people town who knew Joshua were surprised, they weren’t sure who he was before, but seeing how he waved to them, it must be that Joshua! From the orphanage in the Church!

“Keep it low, I saw a couple of servants from the Noblemen family here,” Seungcheol warned Joshua with a whisper. Joshua looked and him and smiled. “I’m originally from here, it’s more suspicious to not showing any hospitality.”

“I know. Just keep it low.”

Joshua sighed and nodded. “I understand.” He would never get use to this royal thingy, wouldn’t he?

The guillotine was on an old wooden stage, Joshua remembered it as the same stage that the very same person used when he first executed spies from other countries. It took him back to that gloomy afternoon when he was eight, a sight he might would never forget in his entire life. The first time ever he saw people died, in front of his eyes. Joshua didn’t exactly saw the moment he died, though, he just saw a glimpse of it because he was hiding behind Sister Dambi, but he remembered the sensation of his whole body turned into stone and the unstoppable shaking after learning that people in front of him were dying. He remembered being held close and covered from head to toe because people shouldn’t know about his weird ability to change the colour of First Prince’s Blessing Rain. It was such a messy night because the whole town was forced into watching the execution to show how much power the Kingdom had and pressed the people to not helping any kind of spying or espionage.

Seungcheol walked to the stage, each steps made the people’s whispers grew more and more silent. He was only thirteen but his charismatic figure already made people felt the pressure of his power, the true Royal Blood that had the biggest chance to be the next King of Han Kingdom, The First Prince, Seungcheol. As soon as he arrived at the top of the stage, shimmering light blue lights poured down from the sky. Joshua looked at the clear sky, making the lights looked like white shimmering lights. Joshua saw a couple of them in front of him. “How beautiful,” he whispered to himself, seeing it disappeared on the ground.

Seokmin raised his hand and he watched a flick of blue light bounced from his hand, changed colour into darker blue. Joshua watched it happened and smiled. “Is that your colour? What a beautiful colour.”

Seokmin blinked and shook his head hard. “No! It’s just, uh.. normal…”

“Your blue is like the colour of deep sea, it’s calming,” Joshua’s eyes followed the dark blue light which shimmered a few times before falling on the ground and disappeared.

“Um.. If I may ask, what is your colour, Hyungnim?” Seokmin braved himself out to ask. Joshua smiled and opened his palm so Seokmin could see the colour changed himself. A light blue shimmer fallen on Joshua’s hand and bounced, changed into light pink shimmer. Seokmin’s eyes sparkled when he saw that.

“Wow, what a beautiful colour! Like the colour of flowers in fairy tales!” Seokmin kept watching a couple other lights that bounced off Joshua’s palm. His big eyes were looking at his hyung, adoringly. “It must be because you have such a kind heart, that’s why you’re making such beautiful colour as well!”

Joshua chuckled. “You’re embarrassing me, but thank you.”

Seokmin could felt his face turned red but he didn’t do anything to cover himself. It would only make him looked suspicious so he decided to just act like he didn’t notice himself turning red. “I-I’m only stating the truth.”

“People in Han Town, I’m Seungcheol, the First Prince of Han Kingdom!” Seungcheol introduced himself. His voice was loud yet calm. He didn’t look nervous even one bit, his 13 years old body looked big on the stage, standing by himself, controlling the crowd under him.

“You might be wondering, why am I here, in the middle of the Plaza, bringing this wicked thing in the middle of the town. It’s agitating to announce, because today I have maddening and sad news for you. Two days ago, our Ninth Prince who was just joined us in the Castle was poisoned!”

Loud gasps came from the crowds. Joshua kept his eyes on some people those didn’t look surprised, they might be people sent from noble family. Seungcheol raised his hand and the whole crowd’s attention focused on his action.

“This case is such a shameful and harmful act to the Royal Family and the whole Han Kingdom. The Royals almost lose one of important Bloods, yet we are once again, win over this threat!” Seungcheol raised his hand and made a fist. “No threat shall be freed from my hand if it falls upon my Brothers.”

Joshua got goosebumps.

Seungcheol continued his speech with his hands moving in front of him. Confident, full of himself, arrogant. That arrogance was a quality for him, since his charisma followed him up. His words filled with weight, Seungcheol carried that with confidence and charisma. He was careful yet bold, calm yet aggressive. His voice raised when he wanted to stress his anger, then got calmer when he talked about assuring things. The Blessing Rain made his figure looked more graceful than he already was, making Joshua’s heart thumping in excitement. Joshua grabbed his chest tight.

This is it.

This is what a King should be like.

Joshua thought that Jeonghan was playing favourite with Seungcheol because they somehow closed with each other, but it was the first time ever Joshua actually thought that someone actually cut out to be a King.

Someone is actually born with the capability of being a King.

How can he be that different on and off stage?

Was Jeonghan aware of this side of him, that was why he chose Seungcheol since the start?

“…and now, the traitor is here. From West Han, Duchess Yeon!” as soon as Seungcheol announced her name, she was dragged to the stage. Her face looked pale, but she was weirdly clean. She didn’t look like she was suffering from any form of punishment that might made her suffered from physical pain, though she had a few bandage on her neck, arm and other places were covered since she was using prisoner uniform, a long white dirty dress.

“She dared to bare fang to the Royal Family, hurting a Royal, and tried to take her own life in the sacred place, the Royal Hall!”

People started talking one to the other, it seemed weird for Yeon Family to have any grudge against the Royal since their family seemed to be well off. It seemed like that rumour of her son died as a Flower was still unknown, at least in the Town. West Han a little bit far by foot after all, that might be the reason why they didn’t know much about people from that area.

Duchess Yeon on the other hand, looked listless. Her eyes seemed blank and she breathed hard. Joshua clenched his fist when he saw the lady looked really weak got dragged by two people in silver armour. It wasn’t fully her fault. Of course it was her fault for trying to kill Jeonghan, but this incident didn’t need to occur if it wasn’t because of the King. If only the King didn’t do that shameful thing to her son. If only the Flower system never happened. If only the King was not him…

There’s no use of ‘if’.

It was up to them to take it down by themselves. That system.

That King.

“…and I present the Tenth Prince in front of you, as one of the two Princes that just came back to the Bloods they’re belong to, to speak in front of you now.”

Joshua heard his cue. He felt Soekmin’s hand tugging his sleeve and giving him a small ‘fighting’ pose. Joshua smiled and walked to the stage. He was totally nervous before, but somehow all of it felt like a long time ago now. He was too deep into his mind he forgot about how nervous he was, he forgot about the whole speech that his mentor prepared for him, he forgot about the number of people that attended this execution. His mind was filled with anger and sadness, his feeling was in disarray, but he was strangely calm outside. He walked on the stage calmly, all eyes on him, but his eyes were fixed to the Duchess who was lying on the wooden stage with her eyes half opened, looked blank. Joshua felt like his chest tightened and his breathe was short.

“My name is Joshua. I had been known as Hong Joshua, or Jisoo, some of you know me as well. Now, my name changed legally to Han Joshua, and my status changed from an orphan from the old Church into Tenth Prince of Han Kingdom,” Joshua introduced himself. People started to talk one to another, the quiet atmosphere change with the change between Seungcheol’s intimidating figure to Joshua’s calm figure. His voice was also really soft and warm, such contrast with previous one.

“I’m what you called ‘a peasant changed into a prince’ in the fairy tales. What a weird story, right? It’s like coming out from the picture book that children read,” Joshua smiled. “Me and the Ninth Princes both were raised in the orphanage, even though it’s small and narrow, we were raised with love. I have no shame of my roots; Han Town will be my pride no matter what people say, so is the Ninth Prince.”

Seungcheol was a little bit surprised by how forward his speech was, but it was perfect. The crowd’s talk calmed down, they started to pay more attention to Joshua.

“I lack of every single aspects of being a Prince, but I’m working hard to fill this position as best as I could, to give this town which only taught me love the best that it deserve. I believe people have the power to change, we have the power to choose. And two days ago, Duchess Yeon chose to try to end my brother… the Ninth Prince, Jeonghan’s life.”

Crowds were getting rowdier. Joshua’s body was always been weak so he didn’t meet with that much people outside, but it was different with Jeonghan. Jeonghan was well known in the town. He walked around every single day, exploring every single corner. This town loved Jeonghan since his birth, it was something that Sister Nana and Sister Dambi talked about every time they had the chance to. He knew mentioning Jeonghan’s name would attract more attention, but that was what he aimed for. Joshua raised his voice.

“We are not afraid of getting stabbed, poisoned, or hated. What we’re afraid of is losing the sight of who we are and why we are here,” Joshua’s eyes looked determined. He looked at Duchess Yeon who was looking at him, her eyes were still blank, but somehow Joshua could feel what she was feeling. Joshua took a deep breath and looked at the audience once again.

“I promise we will try our hardest to prevent this kind of thing happen again. No matter how long it takes. No matter how hard it is and how many I should sacrifice later. Please believe in us.”

After his last word, suddenly the shimmering light blue lights from above were doubled with light pink lights. Seungcheol smirked when he saw his Blessing Rain mixed with Joshua’s colour. It was quite a shock for the crowd, but they started to clap one after another, ended up in loud cheer. Seungcheol was pleased but he needed to keep the purpose of today’s meeting so he shouted.

“Silence! It’s the holy execution time. Since it’s a person from our Kingdom, we will offer prayer later for her.”

Joshua stepped down the stage after that, he didn’t even realize that his colour was mixing with Seungcheol’s. He didn’t even realize that Prime Minister Kim’s eyes were on him the whole time even though he was so wary of him since the morning. He immediately hugged Seokmin who was waiting for him with amazed face. Seokmin was surprised when Joshua suddenly hugged him but he hugged Joshua back despite of his thumping heart. Joshua let go in three seconds and smiled with sweat ran down his cheek.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t do that, shouldn’t I?” he smiled apologetic. “People are looking after all.”

Seokmin smiled and shook his head. “I wanted to hug Hyungnim as well so it’s not your fault! You are so amazing up there!”

A few minutes later, the guillotine was used as its purpose. Wonwoo warned them about possible chaos caused by Yeon family members or maybe people connected to them but it was weirdly gone well.

Joshua frowned when he caught the people who might be sent by nobles were gone by the time of the execution.

Were they sent only to see the execution?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! And I'm so happy if you drop a comment haha it is really fuel for my writing! ^^


	11. Black Lily

**-One Year Later-**

“Whoa, easy there!” Jeonghan caught Seungkwan’s torso as he fell. Seungkwan blinked and hurriedly stood up.

“So-sorry, Your Highness!” he looked sorry and nervous. Jeonghan sighed and smiled. It was almost a year since they met and Vernon dragged him around but he still felt that nervous around Jeonghan. “It’s fine but be careful. Don’t run around here… but why are you running around in the hallway?”

“Uh, Prince Vernon said we’re playing hide and seek…” Seungkwan said in soft voice, almost a whisper. Jeonghan raised his eyebrows.

“Hide and seek? Wait, he should be attending a class now!” Jeonghan suddenly remembered about how Vernon was complaining about his new schedule yesterday. He should be occupied by classes today, according to what Jeonghan heard yesterday. 

“I-I’m sorry, Your Highness, I should be persuading him to study but I’m so useless,” Seungkwan bowed deep.

“Wait, what are you doing Hyungnim!? Don’t bully my personal servant!” Vernon ran straight to Seungkwan and made a barrier between him and Jeonghan with his own body. He stood in front of Seungkwan with his arms folded in front of his chest, proudly. Jeonghan rolled his eyes.

“And what are you doing, you little rascal!? You should be in your study room!” Jeonghan pinched Vernon’s nose hard. Vernon screamed and rubbed his nose after Jeonghan pinched it.

“My mentor is late! It’s his own fault, I will attend the class whenever I want to, then,” Vernon frowned. Jeonghan couldn’t help but thought that this kid grew cheekier every single day.

“Then you will come to my social study whenever I want to,” Seungcheol suddenly jumped into the conversation. He was walking on the hallway toward his room Jeonghan supposed. Social study was the study field for Princes to see the town, nature condition and people, live on the road. Vernon who had minim chances to go outside was really interested in this study so he was asking Seungcheol to take him every single time he saw him. Seungcheol already decided the date but it seemed like Vernon was threatened.

“Aaah, Hyungnim, it’s unfair!” Vernon protested. Seungkwan bowed as soon as he saw Seungcheol.

“Good afternoon, Your Highness.”

Seungcheol nodded at him and looked at Vernon again. “Stop being a brat and attend your lesson then.”

Vernon glared at Seungcheol. “Whatever.”

He stomped his way to his study room, followed by Seungkwan who was apologizing the entire time for Vernon’s behaviour. Seungcheol sighed. “Was he always that bratty?”

“I think followed around by a kid his age finally made him acts his age,” Jeonghan chuckled and looked at Seungcheol with his kind smile. “What are you doing here, don’t you have any class?”

“I had class. It’s done already, I’m about to go back to my room,” Seungcheol explained. Jeonghan knew but he just wanted to ask anyway. “Hm, is that so.”

“What about you?” Seungcheol asked back. Was it to be polite or was he really want to know, Jeonghan wondered in his head.

“I don’t have class in this hour. Shua is busy catching up his study in the library so I’m all alone now,” Jeonghan shrugged.

“I heard he fainted again last week,” Seungcheol mentioned the accident that happened a few days ago. It seemed like Joshua fainted in the middle of his riding class. It was such a lucky thing that his horse was very intelligent, so when it felt that its owner fell it stopped and tried to be as low as possible before falling down so Joshua didn’t fall too far from the ground. It seemed like he only sprained his ankle but his condition also wasn’t that great. Seungcheol didn’t know the details but apparently he just got better yesterday so he was rushing his study because Jeonghan prohibited him from reading books in his healing process.

“He had a lot of outside classes in the new schedule,” Jeonghan sighed. “He insisted he would get better later after he used to the new schedule but I can’t help but worry…”

“He is strong, it’s fine,” Seungcheol said lightly but somehow it made Jeonghan happy. “Yeah, he indeed is.”

They both walked together on the hallway. “Seungcheol-ah, you don’t have anything to do, right? Are you busy?” Jeonghan asked.

“What’s wrong?” Seungcheol asked back.

“Joshua got a card yesterday,” Jeonghan started. Seungcheol’s facial expression turned serious. “Where did he get it?”

“In one of the book that he read in the library. It was History of Han Kingdom book, the one we used History class. It is a book that required to read, it must be for Joshua since the only one who takes History class is Shua-ya,” Jeonghan explained. Seungcheol looked like he was thinking deeply. Jeonghan let him be for a while, when Seungcheol was thinking he couldn’t be distracted.

“The pattern is the same with the one that Wonwoo-ya and Soonyoung-ah got before?” Seungcheol asked. Jeonghan nodded. “The black lily, it’s the same.”

Seungcheol closed his eyes and decided. “Tell Vernon-ah to make his servant go around and tell the Princes that we’re having meeting tonight. In your room since Joshua can’t walk too much.”

Jeonghan grinned.

“Our Hyungnim is so quick at making decision!”

*

Wonwoo looked at his left and right, made sure there was no one around him, even though it was pretty sure that the whole hallway was empty. Wonwoo tip toed to the end of the left side of the second floor, the darkest side of the castle, where Ninth and Tenth Prince’s room located. In the past year he had been exploring the castle at night at least twice a month, every time the Princes held important meetings. The first assemble ever was a coincidence in Jeonghan and Joshua’s room, but after that they had their meetings almost once every two weeks, depends on the situation. They rolled the room that used for the meetings, but usually the second floors people were the ones that used for meetings. Jeonghan and Joshua, Seungcheol, Seokmin and Chan were mostly the people who let their room used as meeting room the most.

Wonwoo knocked the door twice, stopped for a moment and knocked in once. Answered with three knocks and then someone opened the door for him. Wonwoo slipped in as soon as he saw openings and he closed the door again as quiet as he could even though no one was outside. A snicker was heard from nearby the door. Vernon who was opened the door was busy chuckling silently.

“You are so funny, Hyungnim.”

“Shut up, your ridiculous way of laughing is funnier,” Wonwoo shot back and walked in. Wonwoo’s mockery only made Vernon chuckled louder. They both walked in, found Joshua on his bed, reading book while Jeonghan was chatting with Soonyoung and Mingyu quietly as well. Seungcheol was on a chair placed on a beautiful white table placed near the window, which used for tea time and sometimes for eating breakfast by Joshua and Jeonghan. Joshua who was aware of Wonwoo first put his book down and smiled.

“Wonwoo-ya!” he greeted warmly. Wonwoo smiled at him. “I heard you fainted on your horse, Hyungnim.”

Joshua waved his hand. “It’s exaggerated, I only fell a little bit since my Be-ya is so smart.”

“But you’re unconscious for two days,” a voice that sounded irritated from behind made Wonwoo turned around. Seokmin was unexpectedly the one who just talk. Wonwoo wasa surprised when he saw that because he never thought that Seokmin was the kind that got mad or sulk. He mostly showed up as a kind and gentle boy, sometimes he acted a little bit clumsy yet cute.

“Seokmin-ah, cut your Hyung some slacks, why are you getting angrier every time I see you?” Joshua smiled even though he was complaining. Seokmin on the other hand, looked mad.

“A Hyung that’s too worked up on showing his horse off and ended up exhausting himself and made himself unconscious for two whole days can’t be called a Hyung, in my dictionary,” Seokmin answered, sassily.

“Don’t be that angry, okay? I said I was sorry. And I’m not unconscious for two days! One and a half,” Joshua smiled cheekily. “I’m gonna get sad if you act like that, I’m working hard to be healthy as quick as I can.”

Wonwoo noticed the change on Seokmin’s facial expression as he walked to Joshua’s bed.

“I’m not mad,” he said softly and gave Joshua a book. Joshua smiled warmly. “Thanks!”

Seokmin nodded loyally. “Tell me if you need anything else.”

“Whoa,” Wonwoo let it out unconsciously.

“Seokminie changed into a puppy,” Junhui suddenly joined his thought from behind. Wonwoo nodded without looking at him. Seokmin always gave off a cute vibe, like a pet, but it increased when he talked with Joshua. Since when did he change like that? Wonwoo just noticed that this kid stuck around Joshua a lot these days.

“Why are you guys standing like that, find a place to sit,” Jeonghan instructed them. Wonwoo and Junhui both walked to Joshua’s bed to sit on it. Jeonghan looked around. “Where’s Channie?”

Vernon shrugged. “Haven’t seen him since morning, I was exploring and studying almost all the time.”

“Don’t dump our maknae because you have new friend,” Soonyoung poked at Vernon. Vernon frowned. “I’m not dumping anyone! He is the one who was not coming with us, usually he will follow us if he wanted to!”

Chan opened the door at the very same second. “Hyungnim, I’m sorry I’m late! I was studying and-huh, am I disturbing you?”

Jeonghan sighed. Great timing. “No you are not… just come, sit. We will start our meeting.” Jeonghan looked at Seungcheol and nodded at him. Seungcheol nodded back and he dragged the chair in front of the fireplace so he could face all of his brothers who were on the bed, left side on Joshua’s bed and right side on Jeonghan’s.

“Okay, I will start the meeting. You guys remember the Black Lily?” Seungcheol asked.

“We can’t forget even if we want to,” Wonwoo humour his brother.

“One of us got the card again,” Seungcheol continued. Soonyoung frowned. “Who?”

Joshua raised his hand. “Me.” He smiled when the attention shifted to him. “I got it.”

The room became silent in a second. Seungcheol decided to continue his talk. “So, it’s the third one among us that got that card with black lily drawing on it. First one who got it was Wonwoo-ya, a few months later Soonyoung-ah, and now Joshua got it too.”

They recalled the weird thing that happened a few months ago.

Wonwoo started to have interest in Kingdom’s Army and how it works so he learned a couple of old documents and strategies documents those were used in war in the past. The last time war happened was when he was younger and didn’t understand or care about it at all and now the situation was not requiring an urgent need to learn about war strategy, yet he still wanted to learn. He started to get a lot of interest in it after Seungcheol gave him the responsibility for Duchess Yeon’s case. Seungcheol was a hundred per cent supported him to learn since they needed it for their coup d’etat strategy. Wonwoo started to bring old documents and strategy book into his personal study room and stacked it up for learning.

It might be a little bit after a week since he started to stack the documents in his study room when he discovered a strange card inside one of the book that he brought. The card kinda reminded Jeonghan of UNO card. It was a pretty thick glossy card, it was pitch black on the back and it was white on the front, with a drawing of black lily in the middle of the card. Wonwoo thought it might just something that slipped in the book when other people used the book, but the card looked new and still shining so he got his suspicion so he reported it to Seungcheol and his best bud Soonyoung. Seungcheol asked them to be on guard just in case while he asked for Joshua and Jeonghan to search more about black lily. Of course the result was zero, they couldn’t find any single thing about black lily. White lilies were ones those usually used. Seungcheol decided to put the case on hold since it seemed like they didn’t go anywhere.

A few months later, Soonyoung also got the same card, but he got it under his room’s door, slided through the little space between the wooden door and stone floor. Mingyu threw quite big tantrum, insisting that he should stay in the same room with Soonyoung because it would be dangerous for him to be alone. Soonyoung insisted that he would be fine since Wonwoo also got the same card and so far nothing happened to him but it didn’t assure Mingyu at all so Soonyoung ended up sleeping in Jeonghan and Joshua’s room for a few days before Mingyu finally gave in (after Seungcheol scolded him for being irrational) and let Soonyoung slept in his own room.

Now it’s Joshua.

“Why them, though?” Jeonghan started the discussion. “Targets were specific since the start. Wonwoo’s materials always stayed in his study room and no one will mess Wonwoo’s study room, not even the maids. Second one was Soonyoung, it was slipped under his door, and it was definitely addressed to him since it was single room unlike mine and Shua’s. Now Shua-ya got it in a reference book that he should use from the Centre Library.”

“Wait, if we think about it… Doesn’t it look like the person who sent it wanted to say that he knows us pretty well?” Mingyu suddenly realized.

“What do you mean?” Junhui asked.

“Wonwoo-Hyungnim study room. Soonyoung’s bedroom. Joshua-Hyungnim’s reference book. All of them are in the second and third floor of the castle, there are only few people could walked around easily here. How did they know about our room, our schedule and things that we’re interested in?” Mingyu looked serious. He shifted his gaze to Wonwoo and tried to make another theory. “Wonwoo-Hyungnim, when you found the card, which book and which page was it located at?”

“Oh, it was the first ever battle leaded by the present King, the war with East Sea,” Wonwoo said it smoothly like he was already preparing the answer before the question even asked.

“What about Joshua-Hyungnim? Which page was the card at? What was on the book?” Mingyu asked again.

“It was about the history of old Han, when our land still called The Land of Flowers,” Joshua explained. Chan looked interested in what Joshua just said.

“Land of… Flowers? What is that?” Chan asked.

“It’s what people called the very place this castle was built on, up from the north to the south, from east to west, it was a land filled with thousands species of flowers, making it called as the most beautiful place on earth. It changed in a few hundred years, though. ‘The Land of Flowers’ was already forgotten without people noticing, but people who wrote history books still mentioned it since it’s the first time ever our people claimed the land to be theirs, due to the first Han King got blessing from this land,” Joshua explained. It was his current lesson so it was still fresh. 

“It’s actually the reason why we have custom to name our horses based on flowers, because Royals are the owner of the Land of Flowers,” Mingyu added.

“Oh? I didn’t know about that before,” Jeonghan raised his eyebrows. “So it’s not only mine and Seungcheol-ah that based on flowers?”

Soonyoung chuckled. “Of course not. You like to be a duo with Seungcheol-Hyungnim way too much. How can you not know that Joshua-Hyungnim’s Be-ya is shorten for Begonia? It’s definitely a flower.”

Jeonghan was about to protest but Chan opened his mouth faster. “Huh? All of the Hyungnims horse’s names are based on flowers?”

Soonyoung nodded. “Seungcheol-Hyungnim’s Dandelion, Jeonghan-Hyungnim’s Aster, Joshua-Hyungnim’s Begonia, Wonwoo’s Catmint, Junhui’s Celosia, my Azalea, Mingyu’s Snowdrop, Seokmin’s Iris, and Vernon’s Geum. All of our horses named based on flowers. Yours too, it will be based on flowers as well.”

“Wait, did someone use the name Lily before?” Wonwoo asked, trying to find a connection. Mingyu’s eye widened when he remembered about it. Why he didn’t think about that before!?

“The King’s horse is Marigold so I don’t think so,” Soonyoung shrugged. “We don’t have another Royal Bloods left other than the main family now.”

“I know whose horse named Lily,” Seungcheol suddenly talked. All the attention shifted to him.

“Who…?” one of them asked with mixed feeling.

Seungcheol clenched his fist. “My mother’s oldest brother, Uncle Jiwon.”

An awkward silence filled the air. “You know him?” Jeonghan decided to ask because his other brothers seemed reluctant to ask. Seungcheol always kept things involving his mother alone after all, at least that what Jeonghan learned this past year living together with them. Of course the talk about his mother family, the other forgotten ‘dirty’ Royal Bloods was not a topic they would talk about.

Seungcheol shook his head. “He is already dead, a few years after my mother’s death. I only saw him a couple of times when I was younger… and a couple of photos that my mother had. Apparently he was one of the best knights in our Kingdom. He died in the middle of war with other country, or so I heard. Even though he was a Royal, he was appointed as Commander in the battlefield because of his gift.” Seungcheol clenched his fist and smirked. “What gift, the King just wanted to eliminate a hindrance. Uncle Jiwon had a lot of followers after all. It was too bad that the King has purer bloodline since he had the name ‘Han’ and Uncle Jiwon born in the ‘dirty’ Royal Bloods. But I guess Uncle Jiwon didn’t really have interest in taking throne as well since his act mostly helped the King.”

“So he was the one who had a horse named Lily?” Jeonghan pulled back the topic. Seungcheol nodded. “Since Uncle Jiwon had the name I don’t think anyone else have another horse named Lily, at least in the last 40 something years. There won’t be horses with identical name.”

“Then it might be connected to him in some way. Maybe it’s his followers,” Mingyu started to make a link between the new information they got.

“It’s weird, Seungcheol-ah should be the one that got the card first if that’s the case, right?” Jeonghan interrupted. “He is Jiwon-ssi’s nephew after all. Why the follower sent it to Wonwoo-ya, Soonyoungie and Shua-ya?”

“It’s only a theory. It might not connect to my Uncle at all,” Seungcheol said calmly. Jeonghan nodded. “You’ve got a point there.”

“Then.. what about our family?” Wonwoo started another theory.

“What do you mean?” Soonyoung asked.

“What if it connects with our family? I don’t know which noble family my mother’s came from,” Wonwoo’s new theory made a couple of them looked surprised.

“You’ve got a point there… it might be connected to our mothers! Wonwoo’s mother and mine are good friends after all! I heard our family supposed to get along with each other as well but I never know anything about my family,” Soonyoung’s voice raised due to the excitement. “People didn’t really talk about our family since the noble family that offer their children to the King mostly felt too ashamed to contact or say that they’re a family member, so mostly noblemen didn’t know who gave birth to us.”

“We can save that as a theory,” Seungcheol decided to cut in. “The most important lead here is there is definitely someone in the castle that keep an eye on us, someone that can be an enemy or friend, we don’t know yet. Let’s be more careful of our surrounding and tell me whenever something happen so we can discuss it together. Don’t act alone, okay?” Seungcheol said sternly.

“Yes,” all of the Princes answered in sync.

*

“You look down, you know,” Jihoon patted his best friend’s shoulder. “What’s up?”

Soonyoung smiled weakly when he saw his shorter friend. “Yeah, a lot of things happened, it’s messing with my head…”

Jihoon’s family was one of the noblemen that had a great education for self-defence so Jihoon often joined class with Soonyoung. This particular new term, Jihoon’s family sent an instructor for self-defence art that founded by other country that was really popular so Jihoon joined the class with him. Seungcheol was also scheduled to have the same class but since it was a busy term for him the Prime Minister decided to change his schedule for next term instead and Soonyoung attended the class with Jihoon only, a couple of times Seungcheol or Chan would come and join them.

“You can talk to me if you want to, you know,” Jihoon tried to make him feel better.

“Hm… Seungcheol-Hyungnim asked us to keep quiet about this matter, sorry, Jihoon-ah, I can’t talk about it to you,” Soonyoung looked apologetic. Jihoon sighed and waved his hand. “It’s fine, it’s not like I want to know. I’m just worried since you’re not like your usual self.”

“Seriously, thanks. I guess I’m lucky I have friend outside of the castle. I wonder how the other dealt with things themselves,” Soonyoung sighed.

“Well, Prince Joshua and Prince Jeonghan are friends since the start, so they have each other, I guess? Prince Vernon and Prince Chan literally have this weird trio circle with that one servant-who was he again, Boo Seungkwan? Prince Mingyu actually had decent amount of friends outside, he just doesn’t show it,” Jihoon listed the Prince’s possible friend. Soonyoung chuckled. “You know a lot about us, huh?”

“Not really,” Jihoon waved his hand again. “I prefer to know nothing if I can.”

“Aaw, don’t be like that! We’re friends since childhood, aren’t we?” Soonyoung arm locked Jihoon’s head which made him tapped down in pain.

“S-stop it, Soonyoung-ah! You’re too.. excited…” Jihoon started to cough. Soonyoung released him with a loud chuckle and patted him. “Sorry, sorry! I guess I’m too excited huh? Ahahaha!”

Soonyoung suddenly reminded of something.

“Hey, Jihoon-ah. We’ve been friends for long, aren’t we? You think your family know what my noble family is?” Soonyoung suddenly asked. Jihoon looked a little bit surprised but he answered Soonyoung.

“Why suddenly you’re interested in that? You said you don’t care about a family that abandon you?” he asked back.

“Well,” Soonyoung scratched the back of his head. “I still think like that, but these days I started to think that there might be more important things I need to see through other than things that I see with my eyes only. Like how Seungcheol-Hyungnim actually cared a lot about us and I failed to notice until I talked about it with him myself.”

Jihoon stared at him and smiled. “You changed a lot, aren’t you.”

“What do you mean by that,” Soonyoung chuckled when he heard that.

Jihoon stood up. “Well, I will try to ask to my family that you want to know. I’ll tell you the result in our next class.”

Soonyoung brightened up. “Thanks, Jihoon-ah!”

Jihoon smiled.

“We’re friends, aren’t we?”

*

“We’re friends, aren’t we!? Why are you being like this!” Vernon threw a ruckus.

“But you need to attend your class!” Seungkwan tried to drag Vernon to his class while Vernon was still struggling. They were on the hallway, a couple of maids passed them but they tried to not really mind what was happening in the middle of the way.

“You can attend the classes yourself, I don’t to!” Vernon tried to break free from Seungkwan’s clutches on his wrist.

“Cut it out, Vernon-ah!” Seungkwan suddenly shouted. He just realized what he just said and then he immediately saw Vernon’s surprised face. Seungkwan blinked and immediately bowed low.

“So-so-sorry, it was very impudent of me! I know I shouldn’t say that to a-“ Seungkwan’s apology was cut when he suddenly felt a pair of hands cupped his cheeks and raised his head forcefully to face the person in front of him. When he opened his eyes, he saw Vernon was staring at him with shining eyes.

“Say that again,” Vernon said in happy tone.

“Huh?” Seungkwan looked confused with what just happened.

“Call me that again,” Vernon pushed him. Seungkwan was really surprised so he just repeated what Vernon asked. “Call you what again?”

Vernon started to feel annoyed and clicked his tongue. “Call me by my name! Again!”

“Eh? Ve-vernon-ah?” Seungkwan said, confused. Vernon’s face brightened more than before. He released Seungkwan’s face after hearing that.

“Okay, since I’m in a good mood I guess I’ll attend the class,” he walked with little skips on the hallway toward his study room. Seungkwan was still frozen on the hallway, a little bit confused about what just happened.

“Hey, Seungkwan-ah! What are you doing there? Come here!” Vernon called him from a far. Seungkwan jolted when he heard his name was called.

“Uh-oh, yes, Your Highness!” he answered in hurry and ran to Vernon while ignoring his raging heartbeat inside his chest.

What was that?

*

Wonwoo kicked the nearest statue until it fell down the floor and broke into small pieces. He glared at the person in front of him, showing his hostility without any doubt. Wonwoo always been calm but this sight made Jeonghan changed his mind. Jeonghan heard that Wonwoo got a guest, something that was really rare to happen in the castle. Jeonghan decided to take a peak but then he heard a loud crash sound from Wonwoo’s study room so he went to check what happened, to find his little brother was glaring the other person who was talking with him.

The other party was an old man, maybe in his fifties if Jeonghan didn’t wrong. White hairs were already clearly seen, visible veins and wrinkled skin showed his age. He looked super cocky, his almond eyes looked down on Wonwoo. He acted all and mighty, he definitely was a nobleman. Jeonghan could tell from his formal attire with formal nobleman clothing.

“Get out,” Wonwoo hissed between his teeth.

“As vulgar as his mother, I see,” the cocky nobleman said while standing up.

“SHUT UP!” Wonwoo shouted. His voice was so loud that in a few seconds Seungcheol and Chan went out from their study room to check what happened in Wonwoo’s study room. Jeonghan shushed them and waved his hand, telling them to move closer without making any sound. Seungcheol looked reluctant to just eavesdrop but Chan immediately covered his mouth with both of his hands and tiptoed near Jeonghan. Seungcheol rolled his eyes and followed t hem.

“You guys are selling my mother to that damned King, and now you come back to me to ask for my help? Are you noblemen are that shameless!?” Wonwoo talked in calmer tone but he still acted hostile toward the other party. The other party didn’t even look care about what Wonwoo said.

“You can talk about whatever you want, it won’t change the fact to you will need my help, no matter what happen,” he put something on the table and then walked to the door. Wonwoo still glared at him, didn’t let him out of his sight. When the nobleman was opening the door, the three Princes who were eavesdropped stood straight and looked at him. He only took a glance of them and then he stopped walking when he saw Seungcheol’s face. Seungcheol looked uninterested but the nobleman stared at him for quite a bit.

“So this is the strongest candidate of the King,” he said loudly in purpose. “I don’t think you have what it takes.”

“I don’t care about what you think,” Seungcheol said without backing down. He looked at the man straight on his eyes. “You can judge me and the other Princes after seeing what we are worth for.”

The nobleman stared at him for another two seconds before walking away. A couple of silver guards guarded him to the first floor.

“Cocky old man,” Jeonghan hissed. He walked into Wonwoo’s study room. “Wonwoo-ya, are you okay?”

Wonwoo was sitting on his chair, looking all agitated after what happened. He clenched his fist and gritted his teeth, it didn’t look like he heard what Jeonghan said at all. Jeonghan took a deep breath and ran to him. He held Wonwoo’s hands and made Wonwoo shifted his gaze to Jeonghan’s face. “Wonwoo-ya, snap it out!” Jeonghan said loudly.

“You are not alone anymore, you can tell us what happened okay? There is no need to be angry all by yourself! Let’s be angry together!”

Wonwoo’s eyes softened when he heard what Jeonghan just said. Wonwoo sighed and nodded.

“So, what’s happened?” Seungcheol walked in as he asked. Chan followed Seungcheol from behind, hid behind his back. Wonwoo looked at frightened Chan and smiled. “Did Hyung make you scared?”

Chan shook his head vigorously. “There’s no way Wonwoo-Hyungnim scared me!”

Wonwoo opened his arms. “Come here then.”

Chan looked not sure at first but then he walked toward Wonwoo and hugged him. Wonwoo buried his face on Chan’s neck, trying to find comfort. Chan patted Wonwoo’s head, trying to make his brother felt better. Jeonghan sighed and smiled. “You really are like a cat.”

“I want you to praise me for not punching that bastard on his face,” Wonwoo’s voice was muffled up because his mouth was covered by Chan’s attire. Chan chuckled when he felt Wonwoo’s mouth moving.

“Who is he?” Seungcheol asked again.

“Jeong Boseok,” Wonwoo said in low voice. Seungcheol narrowed his eyes as he heard the familiar name. Jeonghan tilted his head. He swore he heard this name somewhere.

“One of the family that rule our kingdom’s army, Jeong family. He said that I’m his sister’s son and wants me to help the coup d’etat planned by the army.”

Jeonghan and Seungcheol looked at each other.

This didn’t sound good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the comments and kudos you gave me~ ^^  
> It makes me so happy.   
> I had a couple of troubles making this chapter and this is why the update is so late, sorry :") I hope you like this chapter! ^^


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